By Juliano Oliveira
Warwick registered in August the highest average price for petrol since May 2019, according to data compiled by Warwick Today and Stanthorpe Today with RACQ.
The high oil price and restricted supply have caused the current soaring cost of petrol in Warwick, leaving local customers discontent with the price’s variation.
The latest average ULP price registered in the town pumps came to 144.7 per litre. The last time the average cost per litre exceeded 144 was in May 2019, with 148.4.
In some stations, it was already possible to detect prices over 150 per litre last week, pushing further the rise in costs for drivers.
RACQ spokesperson Kate Leonard-Jones says despite the scenario, indicative retail margins on unleaded petrol in Warwick are fair.
“Fuel companies are not currently overcharging in Warwick, and given the current oil price, prices are reasonable,” Ms Jones says.
“Future fuel prices will depend on oil prices. Oil prices are highly volatile and difficult to predict. However, it is likely the demand for oil will continue to increase as global economies emerge from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and in turn, retail prices are likely to continue to slowly trend up.”
Paul Brantley, who lives in Warwick, admits he needs to be more sharp and wise when fuelling his car.
“I think the prices go up every long weekend. There’s a long weekend coming up [4th of October holiday], and they are going up even more. So I know other people have got to shop around a bit better,” he says.
Gordon Barker, another local driver, fears that his driving routine might need to change if the prices continue to grow.
“I fill up my car twice a week, and it is becoming very expensive. In a country town like this, you shouldn’t be dealing with these prices. It should be cheaper. Everything is going up in this place, really bad,” he laments.
Australian fuel companies have the power to change petrol prices at sites whenever they want to. However, while fuel companies in southeast Queensland follow a petrol cycle, which means prices will hike quite sharply and gradually fall, fuel companies in regional areas such as Warwick don’t follow a fuel price cycle.
“The best advice is to use apps and websites like RACQ’s Fair Fuel Finder to locate the lowest price and fill up at that location to support those service stations offering the best price,” RACQ spokesperson Kate Leonard-Jones says.
