Coast drivers will feel the pinch at the petrol pump this week with the region being named as one of the most expensive in Australia. The Sunshine Coast recorded an average petrol price of 154.7 cents per litre in Motormouth s report, slightly cheaper than Brisbane and the Gold Coast that logged 155.2 and 155.4 respectively. Sydney and Adelaide are the cheapest cities to fill up with 116 and 119.7. An RACQ spokesman warned Coast motorists not to fuel up. Petrol is still expensive across the south east, but some fuel companies are slowly starting to discount prices, the spokesman said on social media. Drivers should avoid filling up if possible.
RACQ spokesman Vivien O Connor said drivers were spending anywhere from 109.7c to 151.9c over the Christmas holidays but the region was now in the cheap phase of the price cycle. Motorists on the Sunshine Coast should fill up the tank now and aim for 116 cents per litre for unleaded, she said. About 35 per cent of sites are selling unleaded for 116 cents per litre or less and 10.9 per cent of sites are selling unleaded for 110c cents per litre or less. Most sites in Caloundra and Noosa are selling for 117c or 118c, while others are charging as much as 123c.
âThe Sunshine Coast ⦠is lagging behind Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Ipswich,â she said.
âThis is not unusual; the Coast does tend to lag a couple of days behind the other markets, but we are seeing initial movements towards the discounting phase on the Sunshine Coast.â
Ms Ritchie said motorist should be able to welcome in the New Year with cheaper prices.
âWe do expect the coast will transition into that discounting phase in the coming days,â she said.
âIt would be good news for early 2021 that we would start to see prices coming down.â
Ten per cent of Coast sites are still selling unleaded for 145 or more whereas five per cent are selling for 114 or less.
RACQ spokeswoman Lauren Ritchie said drivers would have to wait for any relief. Petrol prices on the Sunshine Coast are at the most expensive phase of price cycle, so we should start to see prices lower about a cent or two a litre per day as we start to head into the discount phase, she said. But at the moment the Sunshine Coast is not in that phase and does seem to be lagging a little bit behind the other SEQ markets who are transitioning into that next phase. She said seven per cent of sites were selling unleaded for 114 or less across the region.