Police have attended Adrian Portelli’s Preston petrol station after the billionaire slashed fuel to 50c a litre, sparking a rush of drivers to the LMCT+ site.
The Herald Sun understands police attended the Plenty Rd and Gower St site as crowds built around the members-only servo.
Portelli also urged motorists not to rush the site, warning traffic was building and the operation risked being shut down.
“All right, legends, if you are coming down to the servo, it’s a bit busy at the moment, so highly recommend you don’t come,” he said in an Instagram video.
“Let’s try to get this traffic down. We don’t want to be an inconvenience to the public.
“Come down later today or tonight … we’re going to be running 49c for the rest of the day, so you don’t need to rush there.”
He later joked about the situation escalating, telling followers: “Bad news guys. We are getting closed down. Jokes.”
Victoria Police have been contacted for comment.
The comments came after Portelli announced the price cut in a separate clip, kicking the price sign before taking aim at critics questioning his fuel venture.
“Okay, okay, okay, I promise. This time that’s it. That’s it,” he said.
“I have increased the price today … 49c.
“You know what? F — k you all. 49c. Come and get it. Let’s go.”
The price is understood to be 49.99c a litre, effectively 50c for drivers filling up at the members-only Preston site.
The move pushes his fuel offer well beyond the earlier 99c rollout and into territory that delivers significant cost-of-living relief for motorists who can access it.
Based on a 50L tank and average petrol prices of about $1.80 a litre, drivers would save about $65 per fill.
A weekly fill-up would translate to about $3380 in annual savings, while even a fortnightly driver would still be ahead by about $1690 a year.
The price cut follows days of build-up, with Portelli telling followers he would lower prices again “to piss off the haters”.
He also moved to shut down conspiracy claims about the pricing, posting footage of himself filling up his own car at the bowser.
The video showed him using fuel directly from the site, addressing suggestions the offer was not genuine.
The Plenty Rd and Gower St location has quickly become a magnet for attention, with supercars, crowds and high-energy scenes turning the servo into something closer to a live event.
But beyond the spectacle, the price is driving interest.
At 50c a litre, a full tank costs about $25, compared to roughly $90 at typical market rates.
The Preston site operates under a members-only model tied to LMCT+, with discounted fuel offered as part of the subscription.
Portelli has said the approach is designed to reward supporters while keeping demand manageable at a single location.
He has also flagged more fuel sites are under negotiation, raising the prospect of expansion beyond Melbourne
Extracted in full from: https://www.realcommercial.com.au/news/adrian-portelli-slashes-melbourne-petrol-to-50c-a-litre-in-fiery-message-to-critics
