Motorists should shop around as fuel hits record high

GOLD Coast fuel prices have hit a record high, with Queensland’s peak motoring body suggesting motorists try to wait for prices to fall.

RACQ’s statistics reveal the Gold Coast recently recorded its highest average daily price for unleaded petrol (ULP) since recordings had been in place.

RACQ spokeswoman Renee Smith said the record was set last Monday when the daily average reached $1.73 per litre. “There were some sites selling unleaded for more than 175 cents per litre in December 2019 and January 2020, but these high prices have never been as widespread as they have been recently,” she said.

The RACQ Monthly Fuel Report for June showed the Gold Coast had an average price of $1.53 for ULP that month.

It was an increase of 7.9c per litre compared to May, which was the highest increase across southeast

Queensland. The city’s price for fuel in June was the third highest in southeast Queensland, only narrowly behind Brisbane Bayside/ Redlands ($1.55) and Central Brisbane ($1.54).

Since then the Gold Coast’s ULP prices have skyrocketed from a daily average of $1.44 per litre on July 1 to a $1.72 per litre on July 7.

Ms Smith said sites across the city are selling ULP at as high as $1.76 per litre, coming close to the Gold Coast’s record individual price of $1.78 set by a BP in December 2019.

She said although most sites on the Gold Coast are still “very expensive” there are a handful of sites in Southport selling ULP for $1.50 per litre.

“While this isn’t necessarily a cheap price it is a lot more affordable than 173 cents per litre at neighbouring sites,” she said.

“Make sure you download apps like RACQ’s Fair Fuel Finder so you know where the best deals are.”