Large fire reported at oil refinery in Geelong
Authorities were called to one of Australia's two operational oil refineries around 11pm after reports of a large blaze.
www.abc.net.auThe latest news I found is that a large fire was reported at the Geelong refinery on April 15, 2026, with authorities telling nearby residents to stay indoors and keep windows shut because of smoke. Emergency crews were still responding, and the incident was reported as uncontrolled at the time of the update.[5]
Before that, coverage in late March 2026 said extra oil shipments were being brought to Geelong to help boost fuel production, and separate reporting said the refinery was expected to ramp up output as Victoria’s fuel supply tightened.[1][2]
Recent context
In February 2026, Viva Energy said refining margins were still challenging but expected improvement through the rest of 2026. In April 2025, the company also said its ultralow-sulfur gasoline project at Geelong was on track for startup by year-end, with longer-term plans to explore biofeedstocks and renewable fuels at the site.[4][8]
What this means
Geelong is still a strategically important refinery for Victoria and Australia, so news around it tends to affect local fuel supply and safety alerts quickly. The fire report is the most immediate development and the one most likely to change over the next few hours.[9][5]