Shooting for Australian-owned IOR Fuels: Industrial Photography and Video at Lytton & Yatala
I recently had the pleasure of working with IOR Fuels — one of Australia's largest independent fuel suppliers — to produce photography and video content across two of their Brisbane facilities: the Lytton Terminal at the Port of Brisbane and the Yatala South diesel stop.
It was the kind of project I love: large-scale industrial infrastructure, dramatic lighting conditions, and a client who understands the value of quality visual content.
About IOR Fuels
IOR is a 100% Australian-owned fuel company with a remarkable story. They started in 1984 as a small oil refinery in Eromanga — a remote town in far western Queensland — and have grown into one of the country's largest independent fuel distributors.
Today, IOR operates across the entire fuel supply chain: a crude oil refinery, two major import terminals, a national bulk fuel delivery fleet, over 115 unmanned truck stops and more than 30 aviation refuelling facilities. Their tagline — Fuelling Australia — captures what they do: keeping the transport, agriculture, mining and construction industries moving.
For a commercial photographer focused on industrial and corporate clients, this was an ideal project. IOR's facilities are impressive in scale, and their brand story — Australian-owned, regionally focused, built from the ground up — is exactly the kind of narrative that deserves to be told well.
The Lytton Terminal
The Lytton Terminal is a 110-million-litre diesel import and storage facility located at the Port of Brisbane. Constructed in 2023, it's the largest of its kind in Queensland and one of the largest diesel-only terminals on Australia's east coast.
The facility includes a 2-kilometre underground pipeline connecting to the port's deep-water FIB2 berth, along with a loading gantry capable of filling two trailers simultaneously at 2,400 litres per minute per arm. It's designed for AB triple access — serious infrastructure for serious freight operations.
Photographing a site like this requires careful planning. We shot across both day and dusk conditions to capture the terminal's scale and character. During the day, the focus was on the operational environment — tanks, pipelines, gantry structures, and the industrial landscape of the port. At dusk, the facility takes on a different quality: safety lighting creates pools of colour against a deepening sky, and the terminal becomes almost cinematic.
For video, I captured both the static infrastructure and the operational workflows — trucks moving through the site, fuel loading in progress, the sense of constant activity that defines a facility like this. Industrial video is about showing how things work, and the Lytton Terminal offers plenty of visual interest.
The Yatala South Diesel Stop
The Yatala South site is a different kind of facility — a 24/7 unmanned diesel stop located at 36 Lahrs Road in a premium industrial precinct near the Pacific Motorway.
IOR's diesel stops are purpose-built for heavy vehicle access. The Yatala site features multiple drive-through lanes for B-doubles and larger configurations, along with amenities for driver wellbeing including toilets and showers. It's a clean, well-designed facility that reflects IOR's commitment to their customers.
We shot the Yatala site at dusk, when the lighting conditions are most dramatic. The glow of the canopy against the evening sky, the signage illuminated, the clean lines of the forecourt — dusk photography transforms a fuel stop into something striking.
Photography and Video: A Combined Approach
This project brought together stills, video and dusk photography — a combination that's increasingly common for industrial clients who need content across multiple channels.
Stills support marketing collateral, website content, tender documents and capability statements. Video tells a richer story — showing operations in motion, reinforcing brand messages, and providing content for social media and corporate presentations. Dusk photography adds a visual signature that sets imagery apart from the standard industrial documentation.
For me, the IOR project reinforced the value of offering photography and video as an integrated service. Clients benefit from a single point of contact, consistent visual style, and efficient production — one site visit delivering assets across multiple formats.
Working With Australian-Owned Businesses
There's something satisfying about working with Australian-owned companies like IOR. Their story — starting in a remote Queensland town and growing into a national operation — reflects the kind of resilience and ambition that built regional Australia.
As a commercial photographer, I'm drawn to clients who have a story worth telling. IOR's commitment to keeping Australia's essential industries moving, their investment in infrastructure, and their focus on regional communities made this a project I was proud to be part of.
If you're looking for industrial photography or video for your fuel, transport, logistics or infrastructure business, I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss your project.
Contact: steve@stevelockphoto.com | 0418 618 325 | stevelockphoto.com