Motorists are urged to fill up on cheaper fuel before prices are hiked for Christmas by as much as 50 cents/L.
On Tuesday, about half the petrol outlets on the Sunshine Coast had taken the lead and jacked up their prices to more than 150L for 91 unleaded.
But there were still many servos selling cheaper fuel before they are expected to follow suit.
RACQ’s Fair Fuel Price App and website reveal a “fair price” on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday should be 110.9L for 91 unleaded.
Caloundra is the pick of places to fill up, with several independent outlets still offering 104.5L which is also helping keep prices down at the big majors.
However in other parts of the Coast like Noosa and Maroochydore, customers are already being slugged 151.9L.
RACQ spokesperson Lauren Ritchie urged drivers to fill up before most petrol retailers fell into line and started charging upwards of 1.45L.
“We’re in the price-hike phase of the cycle where the first movers have hiked up their prices and some haven’t yet,” Ms Ritchie said.
“On the Sunshine Coast you’ve got about 30 per cent of outlets that are still 1.14L or less,” she said.
“About 48 per cent of outlets are priced at more than 1.45L.
“In the price hike phase it will happen quite rapidly so today (Tuesday) is the perfect time to fill up for 1.14L or less.
“There are still about 22 outlets on the Coast that are at 1.14L or less but they won’t be for long. The cycle shoots up quite quickly.”
It is now mandatory in Queensland for fuel stations to publish their data within half an hour of a price change which RACQ and other fuel watch Apps use to inform the public.
Ms Ritchie said people should check online first and sometimes it might be better to fill up at your destination, rather than before.
Once prices have reached the Christmas peak, Ms Ritchie said prices would generally fall by about 1c/L each day until hitting the bottom of the price cycle, meaning prices could remain high for weeks.
“It’s impacted by global factors but how low it will go we don’t know so it’s advisable when you see the price low to fill up because it will disappear quickly.”
Best fuel prices on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday as of 10.30am.
*For time-accurate changes visit RACQ’s Fair Fuel Price website or App.
- Little Mountain Car Cafe Caloundra 104.5
- Rainbow Fuels Caloundra 104.5
- Puma Caloundra, Pelican Waters and Currimundi 104.5
- Caltex Woolworths Currimundi 104.5
- 7-11 Meridan Plains 104.5
- Coles Express Caloundra 107.9
- Puma Kunda Park 109.7
- Liberty Tanawha 109.7
- 7-Eleven Nambour 109.7
- Puma Nambour 109.7
- Caltex Nambour Diesel Stop 109.7
- United Coolum 109.7
- 7-Eleven Coolum 109.7
- BP Coolum 110.9
- Puma Peregian 109.7
- BP Pacific Paradise Roadhouse 112.9
- Aussie World Garage 114.9
