A Family Legacy at Tailem Bend Roadhouse: The Axon Sisters
At the heart of Tailem Bend’s roadhouse is a story of family, dedication, and community connection – a story carried proudly by the Axon sisters: Kristine, Julie, Donna, Gail & Helen.
For decades, the Axon name has been woven into the fabric of the roadhouse, making it more than just a stop for travellers – it’s a place where hard work, loyalty, and family values come together.
Between them, the sisters and their mother have dedicated more than 136 years of combined service to the Tailem Bend Roadhouse, shaping it into the welcoming, familiar stop it’s become for travellers, locals, and truck drivers alike. Their story is one of loyalty, laughter, and love for what they do – and for each other.
Together, Kristine, Julie, Donna, Gail & Helen have seen the business evolve, welcoming locals and visitors alike with the same friendly faces that regulars have come to know and appreciate.
Their story is more than about clocking in and out of shifts – it’s about carrying on a family legacy. Generations of travellers have been served by the Axons, whether it’s a hot meal, fuel for the road, or simply a warm smile at the counter. For many, stopping at Tailem Bend isn’t just about convenience – it’s about familiarity, comfort, and the trust built by families like the Axons.
“Even when I’m here, I still feel like I’m home”
A Family Legacy Begins
The Axon family’s connection to the roadhouse goes back generations. Their mother worked at the site in its early years, and it wasn’t long before the next generation followed in her footsteps.
Gail was the first to join, coming across from Golden Fleece in 1985, when the site was still branded Ampol. Not long after, Donna followed in 1986, and together they began building a name synonymous with hard work and heart. Helen and Julie soon followed joining Gail and Donna in 1997. While Kristine’s path took her to the local hospital for nearly a decade, she then joined her sisters at the roadhouse in 2004.
While the sisters share family connection, their personalities all differ and are all unique. Eldest of the sisters, Kristine was noted as being strong, “Too strong, doesn’t ask for help” – Donna. Second eldest sister Julie is very clearly the quiet one, shy and doesn’t like to rock the boat – just goes with the flow. “If my looks could kill though” laughs Julie. Next in line is Donna, loves to have a laugh and the other half of the self declared “package deal” that is Donna and youngest sister Helen. In the middle is Gail, described by her sisters as strong willed, the rebel, no filter and the first to ask a question. Completing the puzzle is the baby of the family, youngest sister Helen, described as “can be firey and the other half of the package deal that is Donna and Helen”.
What has kept the sisters part of the team for so many years? They all agree: it’s the family-oriented culture, the balance between work and life, and the strong team around them. “It’s a great environment,” says Kristine. “We’ve always had good people around us, and that makes all the difference.”
For Donna and Helen, working side by side has become second nature. “We come as a pair,” laughs Donna. “We’ve been working together for so long — we just know how each other works.” Reliability and trust run deep between them. They know each other’s rhythms, moods, and even when to step in without a word spoken. “I like it,” adds Donna, simply. “It just feels right.”
While the sisters share family connection, their personalities all differ and are all unique. Eldest of the sisters, Kristine was noted as being strong, “Too strong, doesn’t ask for help” – Donna. Second eldest sister Julie is very clearly the quiet one, shy and doesn’t like to rock the boat – just goes with the flow. “If my looks could kill though” laughs Julie. Next in line is Donna, loves to have a laugh and the other half of the self declared “package deal” that is Donna and youngest sister Helen. In the middle is Gail, described by her sisters as strong willed, the rebel, no filter and the first to ask a question. Completing the puzzle is the baby of the family, youngest sister Helen, described as “can be firey and the other half of the package deal that is Donna and Helen”.
What has kept the sisters part of the team for so many years? They all agree: it’s the family-oriented culture, the balance between work and life, and the strong team around them. “It’s a great environment,” says Kristine. “We’ve always had good people around us, and that makes all the difference.”
For Donna and Helen, working side by side has become second nature. “We come as a pair,” laughs Donna. “We’ve been working together for so long — we just know how each other works.” Reliability and trust run deep between them. They know each other’s rhythms, moods, and even when to step in without a word spoken. “I like it,” adds Donna, simply. “It just feels right.”
“We’ve always had good people around us, and that makes all the difference.”
Roles, Change, and Resilience
Over the years, the sisters have taken on everything from front-of-house service to management roles, often filling in wherever needed. “I still enjoy coming to work,” says Kristine. “I enjoy the work — it’s getting harder as we get older, but we still love it.”
From driveway service days, “That’s where I met my husband — 37 years later, we’re still together!” laughs Kristine, to new POS systems, rebrands, and building extensions, they’ve seen the roadhouse evolve time and again. Gail sums it up best: “I started with Ampol, and now we’re back to Ampol. Full circle.”
“I remember I used to be able to work an 8 hour shift on my own, definitely couldnt do that now!” – Julie.
The best advice the sisters have for anyone starting within the hospitality industry, “If customers are aggressive or nasty, you want to send that customer off happy”.
When asked about some highlights of working at the roadhouse, there was no shortage of conversation. The roadhouse has seen customers such as Nat Bassingthwaighte, Lisa McCune, Jacko from AFL team Geelong and Angry Anderson pop by. Angelo “The fishing guy comes in a few times, I had to cook him fish one night and I was very nervous about having to cook a fisherman, fish!” Donna said.
Further public faces were, Jason McCartney Bali bombing victim and his brother, “Were you on this is your life?” asked Gail, always being the sister to speak up and ask any questions that some may shy away from. A very fun visit was from performer Hans in his eye catching pink hummer. When asked if the sisters enjoy working together they all responded with similar thoughts. Kristine noted “its probably got to the point if one of us moved too far away, we wouldn’t like it, Tailem Bend to Mannum would be the furtherst we have been away from each other our whole lives”. As the interview with the sisters wraps up, Gail notes “I’m proud of working for a company like TASCO and the opportunities I was given through TASCO”.
The Axon sisters are a reminder of what makes Tailem Bend Roadhouse so special. Their dedication shows that the roadhouse is more than a pit stop – it’s a meeting place, a memory-maker, and, in this case, a true example of how family and community spirit keep the wheels turning.