REDLANDS motorists have felt the sting of recent petrol price hikes earlier than other parts of the state, with nine local service stations among the first to push unleaded fuel beyond $2 per litre this week.
The hike comes just months after the federal government halved the fuel excise in a bid to ease cost of living pressures for families amid record high prices at the bowser.
RACQ confirmed on Friday that service stations at Birkdale, Cleveland, Alexandra Hills and Wellington Point were among the first in Queensland to jack up prices above $2 per litre.
Sites in Brisbane and Logan have since followed suit, but there is still value on offer in the Redlands at places like Mount Cotton, Victoria Point, Capalaba and Redland Bay.
A handful of stations across these suburbs were still offering between $1.73 and $1.83 for unleaded 91 on Monday afternoon.
That is in stark contrast to places like Freedom Fuels at Thorneside and BP Wellington Point, where prices sit at 219.9 cents per litre, close to the record highs seen earlier this year.
RACQ spokeswoman Nicky Haydon said the hike was a surprise as it had come very early in the cheap phase of the price cycle.
"While we don't want people to be on the roads in this severe weather, if you have to travel and need fuel, fill up," she said.
"Motorists should not reward the handful of early hikers and should instead aim for a fair price of 184 cents per litre."
Ms Haydon said the hike was a normal part of the price cycle, but the change had been hastened by ongoing volatility and price increases in the global oil market.
"Unfortunately, the fuel excise cut will not have an impact on global oil prices, so motorists need to be savvy about where they buy their fuel," she said.
RACQ analysis suggests that without the fuel excise cut, unleaded prices would be nudging 240 cents per litre.
Redlands service stations first to hike prices, according to RACQ:
- BP Wellington Point
- Coles Express Birkdale, Alexandra Hills and Cleveland
- Ampol Cleveland and Alexandra Hills
- 7-Eleven Birkdale and Cleveland
- Woolworths/EG Alexandra Hills
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