’The highest we’ve seen’: Cairns fuel prices break historic record
Fuel prices in many locations across Cairns have reached a never-before-seen record high. WHERE TO GET THE CHEAPEST FUEL IN CAIRNS
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UPDATE, March 12 6.00AM: PRICES never-seen-before have hit the Cairns region at historic and record breaking highs. Unleaded fuel has reached 201.9 which has surpassed the last record dating back to July 2008.
Dr Ian Jeffreys, RACQ principal policy advisor and fuel expert, said skyrocketing gas prices is happening not just in Cairns, but nationally and worldwide.
“The (current) price is 201.9 which is the highest we’ve seen in the Cairns region,” he said.
“This is being driven by the exceptionally high oil prices we’re seeing at the moment, it’s caused by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine that flows right through.”
Dr Jeffreys said recently oil prices have fallen substantially but will take a while to flow through regional markets in North Queensland.
“We may see prices creep up a few more cents and then they should start to trend back down again,” he said.
Urging Cairns motorists, Dr Jeffreys said it’s important to seek out independent, smaller chain service stations which normally have the cheapest price.
“Use a price comparison service like from RACQ and buy from the cheapest site. It saves you money and it drives competition and it’s competition that keeps prices as low as possible,” he said.
“The world is highly volatile and unpredictable, prices could skyrocket again but we’re hopeful that this is the end of it.”
Choosing to fly in rather than drive for her holiday in Cairns, Pegah Shafiei said she is here for the week and that the unprecedented fuel prices in the region are on par with metropolitan Melbourne which is at $2.10 and $2.20.
“The good thing is my partner has a company car, so we mainly use his car,” she said.
Ms Shafiei said the rising fuel prices have put her off from driving around but said she has to deal with it if she wants to get to places.
During their time in Cairns, Ms Shafiei said she’s thinking of renting a car to help get around.
“While you’re on holiday you spend money. You don’t care,” she said.
“The fuel prices go up and then suddenly they go down, that’s just how it is.”
EARLIER UPDATE, 10.05AM: Locations across Cairns have witnessed fuel prices of a historic high of 201.9 today which is the highest prices seen since July 2008.
11 service stations reported having hit the milestone including Caltex in Cairns, Woree, Earlville, Manunda and Portsmith, BP in Manunda and Earlville, Mobil in Cairns, and Coles Express in Parramatta Park and Manunda.
The cheapest fuel can only be found in Edge Hill Service Station at 187.9.
EARLIER, 6.00AM: Soaring fuel prices have put a new burden on Far North wallets as Cairns locals struggle to keep up with the cost of filling up.
As of Wednesday, the average price of unleaded fuel across eight locations in Cairns was 195.03 cents per litre.
Holloways Beach resident Samart Sae-Li said his car consumes a lot of fuel and has felt the impact of rising prices.
“Before $50 for a full tank and now $30 for half tank or under,” he said.
Although he only uses his car to travel to work, Mr Sae-Li said he was paying $2.1 per litre.
“It’s expensive. The price goes up everyday,” he said.
Jack Fowler, rental agent at East Coast Car Rentals, said business has been steady and fuel prices had not been an issue yet.
“Maybe down the line, if (rising fuel prices) become that much of an issue, people know they have to pay for fuel,” he said.
“We get Australians travelling Australia. People are going to need cars when they come.
“With Cairns there’s only so many bus stops and cabs available, Ubers have gotten pricier too.”
On the business side, Pizza del Mondo in Woree has felt the price increases across the board, and especially in fuel prices.
Manager, Brian Bhandula, said on average they have 20 to 25 deliveries per week and has had to cut down on delivery drivers from four in December to now only one.
“It’s so quiet, you don’t need that many people,” Mr Bhandula said.
“Fuel prices before were around $1.20 and $1.10, (now) they have gone up one and a half times more. That happens, inflation is going up.”
Mr Bhandula said his business has one company car which he spends anywhere from $50 to $70 filling up every week “at least” but is hoping for prices to stabilise in the near future.
“It’s very unpredictable. We never expected prices to be that high from what we were paying before and what we are paying now,” he said.
Unleaded fuel pricesacross Cairns of Friday by RACQ Fair Fuel Prices
■ Edge Hill Service Station Collins Ave – 187.9 (last reported March 7)
■ Liberty Service Station Woree Bruce Hwy – 189.9 (last reported March 10)
■ Puma Portsmith Cook St – 193.7 (last reported March 10)
■ BP Cairns Central Mulgrave Rd – 195.8 (last reported March 10)
■ Mobil Sheridan St – 195.9 (last reported March 10)
■ Mobil Westcourt Mulgrave Rd – 198.9 (last reported March 10)
■ Shell Coles Express Cairns City Sheridan St – 199.9 (last reported March 10)
■ United Petroleum Cairns North Sheridan St – 199.9
■ United Woree Portsmith Southgate Cl – 199.9
■ Shell Cairns Kenny St – 199.9 (last reported March 10)
■ Caltex Woree Mulgrave Rd – 201.9
■ Caltex Star Mart Cairns-Tropical Star Sheridan St – 201.9
■ Mobil on Spence St – 201.9 (last reported March 10)
■ Caltex Woolworths Earlville Mulgrave Rd – 201.9
■ BP Manunda Alfred St – 201.9
■ Coles Express Reservoir Manunda – 201.9
■ BP Manunda Alfred St – 201.9 (last reported March 10)
■ Caltex Woolworths Manunda Alfred St – 201.9
■ Caltex Cairns Fivestar Hoare St – 201.9
■ Caltex Cairns Kenny Street – 201.9
■ BP Earlville Mulgrave Rd – 201.9
■ Coles Express Cairns Mulgrave Rd Parramatta Park – 201.9 (last reported March 10)
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