Covid Gold Coast: Nerang man selling rapid antigen tests from home garage

The neighbours aren’t happy, but an entrepreneurial Gold Coaster has imported a stack of rapid antigen tests, and is selling them for $25 a pop from his garage.

Hundreds of Gold Coasters desperate to secure scarce rapid antigen tests (RATs) have flooded into a suburban street, creating a traffic nightmare neighbours have dubbed “a s**t show”.

Nerang man Josh Browne, started advertising the sale of RATs from his home on social media this week.

With a price tag of $25, the tests have been in such high demand that hundreds of cars have clogged The Mews as motorists line up to secure the available supplies.

Mr Browne said he had secured the tests from China and “everything is legal”.

RATs are being sold from The Mews, Nerang. Picture: Melanie Whiting

But the strong sales have created a traffic nightmare which has left neighbours furious.

“People are really pissed off about this,” said one neighbour, who asked not to be named.

“We had more than 100 cars come through our little street on Wednesday. More than 50 already today.

“It’s normally a beautiful street but it’s being turned into a s**t show.

“It’s impacting everyone. We have kids riding their bikes and skateboards in here and it’s only a matter of time before one of them gets hit by a car. They’re double parking everywhere.

“Neighbours are also worried because we’ve obviously got all of these Covid-positive people coming into our street and putting us at risk.”

Another resident said she was worried about the increase in traffic.

“Now it’s just this constant stream of cars,” she said.

“This is a residential area. We have kids on bikes here all the time.”

Hundreds of cars have flooded into the street this week. Picture: Melanie Whiting

Mr Browne said the RATs he sold were “within the regulations of what the government has said we can do.”

“Everything is legal - we’ve got all the paperwork to support being able to sell the tests.

“We’re just doing what we can to help the community by getting these out since they’re hard to get.

“It’s got nothing to do with profit - nothing to do with becoming millionaires.”

He acknowledged there had been an increase in traffic since he started selling the RATs from home, but added “at the end of the day, it’s a public street.”

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