Yesterday he was already planning to rebuild on the site.

“I love the place and loved what I was doing there,” he said.

“I want to rebuild as soon as possible.”

Mr Spek was charged with attempting to defraud the insurance company with his claim that the fire had been started by two men who had bashed and robbed him of the day’s takings.

“It has been an horrendous two and a half years,” Mr Spek told the Mercury yesterday.

“There were times when I even considered suicide.”

He said that he ‘shed tears of relief’ when the jury returned its verdict in the Downing Centre Court.

“What was really gratifying was that it was a unanimous verdict after four days of deliberations,” Mr Spek said.

“It’s been a long road with numerous court appearances but now I can get on with life.

“I knew I was innocent and I had a lot of support in the community and from truckies who used the roadhouse.”

He said he would immediately be in talks with the bank who hold the mortgage on the Mt Lambie site and with the insurance company and wants to rebuild as quickly as possible.

“I’ll also be talking with Lithgow Council and with independent fuel companies.”

Mr Spek said he would not be re-opening as a BP outlet and claimed BP had been trying to squeeze him out by limiting supplies at busy periods like holidays and the Bathurst car races.

He said the long legal battle had impacted on his health ‘and some people tell me I’m mad going back into business at age 58’.

“But I love the area and will be moving my caravan back on site within the next few days,” he said.

Since the fire Mr Spek has been living in the caravan on a family member’s property at Wells Crossing near Lismore.