Find a RAT website tracks Covid tests in Mackay, Whitsundays

As Woolies acknowledges some general grocery item shortages in Mackay and the Whitsundays after wet weather and cut rail lines, people are turning to a new website to find RAT stocks.

Supermarket giant Woolworths is going the extra mile to shore up Mackay and Whitsundays’ grocery supplies in the heatwave, but the one thing in major demand is reportedly nowhere to be found.

Stocks of rapid antigen tests across Mackay and the Whitsundays are in low supply as they sell out within hours of pharmacy and supermarkets opening.

A new website launched on Monday night, Find a RAT, is tracking supplies across Australia with people accessing crowdsourced data on which chemists and supermarkets in their local areas have stock available.

The website allows people to enter their postcode and check supplies, and a search at 11am for the 4740 postcode showed eight stores were sold out.

Woolies this week acknowledged some supply issues with its general grocery lines after supply routes were cut during wet weather.

Woolworths Far North Queensland group manager Petina Sarnadsky said some stock deliveries had been delayed to stores in the northern end of Queensland following recent rail closures in heavy rain, and some Covid-related supply impacts.

Rail lines were cut in last week’s deluge with Woolies freighting stock on trucks to ensure supplies continued.

“Our teams are doing all they can to minimise the impact on our stores and deliveries are continuing to arrive as we work to replenish stock,” she said.

“With the region expecting continued heatwave conditions over the coming days, we’re prioritising the delivery of key essentials from our Townsville Distribution Centre to local stores to support the community.”

A Coles spokeswoman said there had been no significant shortages impacting supplies across Mackay and Whitsunday stores despite empty shelves at some outlets and staff informing customers of freight delays.