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Some service stations in the Parkes Shire have been running out of fuel, with operators unsure when and how reliable their next delivery will be, and one warning its customers of a possible 50 cent price hike.
Diesel supply in Parkes is the most affected at the moment with the two BP fuel stations in town and Trundle Fuel, a locally owned independent fuel station in Trundle, having run out by the end of the business day on Tuesday.
Other fuel stocks such as unleaded and premium unleaded petrol at both BPs were and remain good at this stage.
But at 4.20pm on Monday Trundle Fuel only had premium unleaded petrol 95 available to those in the shire's west until their next delivery.
It's been business as usual for the remaining two service stations in the town's centre - Shell on the Peak Hill Road and EG Ampol - both reporting no shortages of any fuel.
Though because half of the town's diesel supply went dry by Tuesday night, there were long queues at the bowser at Shell.
It's the flow-on effect of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that's also leading to panic buying.
The Trundle operator has warned on social media "the new prices for fuel will be way higher", preparing its customers for a possible 50 cents per litre increase.
Prices in Trundle on Monday afternoon were 219.9 cents for premium diesel, 224.9 cents for premium unleaded petrol 95 and 214.9 cents for unleaded petrol 91.
Trundle Fuel had a delivery before 10am today, informing its customers diesel, unleaded 91 and premium unleaded 95 were all available but with a limit of $99 per transaction to ensure "there is enough for everyone".
They said they didn't know when the next truck will come and are asking people to only take what they need.
The Trundle premium diesel price had jumped up 39 cents since Monday to 258.9 cents, premium unleaded 95 had gone up by 11 cents (235.9) and unleaded 91 up 10 cents (224.9).
"If the fuel truck came [on Tuesday] the diesel price would be around $2.42," it said on its Facebook page.
"But [Wednesday's] fuel price was 15 cents more per litre than [Tuesday]."
The BP Parkes Gateway truck stop on the bypass had a delivery of diesel on Tuesday morning but its manager Tanya Wilson said they were "almost out again" by 4pm that afternoon.
They had no diesel overnight that night but still had Ultimate diesel available, which had run out though by this morning.
The BP East End service station in Clarinda Street was out of diesel by 6pm Tuesday.
"Due to no supply in town we have been under the pump more than usual," manager Robyn Loveridge said on Tuesday night.
Both the BP Parkes Gateway and BP East End had a fuel delivery this morning too.
"I'm not sure how long it will last though," Ms Loveridge said.
Fuel prices are expected to rise due to the conflict, in particular the decision by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, an area used as a shipping lane in the south of Iran where ships carrying fuel pass to bring product to Australia.
Other areas of concern includes the shutting down of oil production throughout the Middle East.
However prices at the petrol pump weren't expected to go up this quickly.
NRMA had predicted prices to pass $2 per litre this week for regular unleaded.
NRMA said in its weekly fuel report dated on Monday, average regional prices for regular unleaded rose 29.1 cents per litre last week while diesel prices rose 33.5 cents per litre.
Prices for E10 and unleaded 91 petrol in Parkes had remained steady until the end of the weekend, according to Fuel Check, though three had risen by 7-8 cents per litre by Sunday.
BP Parkes Gateway remained at 188.9 and BP East End at 197.9 for E10 through Monday, with Shell and Ampol rising to 204.9 cents (U91) and 207.9 cents (E10) respectively.
By this morning all stations were 207.9, 18 cents above what prices were for E10 and U91 last Wednesday.
By midday Wednesday premium unleaded petrol 95 in Parkes was 225.9 cents per litre at Shell, 226.9 at BP East End, 230.9 at Ampol and 235.9 at BP Parkes Gateway.
The average price for regular unleaded fuel in Sydney was 217.2 cents per litre by Monday evening - Parkes at this stage was still 10 cents cheaper.
The average diesel price in Sydney is 224.2 cents per litre, according to NRMA's Monday report.
Diesel and premium diesel prices in Parkes have seen the biggest price rise.
Residents noticed as much as a 15 cent hike in just eight hours on Tuesday, from 10.20am to 6.17pm.
Diesel prices in Parkes on Wednesday at midday on Fuel Check were 246.9 cents per litre at BP Parkes Gateway, 248.5 at Shell (PDL), 249.9 at BP East End and Ampol (both PDL), and 255.9 at Pacific Mobil in Hanlon Street.
Which are a further 5-16 cents dearer than Tuesday night's prices, except for Ampol who has remained the same.
The NRMA has slammed price rises saying they're "unjustifiable" and has called on the ACCC to come down on inflated prices.
"This must stop immediately," said head of media at NRMA Peter Khoury.
"Yet again, the price cycles in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne have left families in those cities worse-off and oil companies are using the Middle East crisis as an excuse to jack-up margins."
"Australians are doing it tough with cost of living pressures and now is not the time to be ripping the community off - we urge the ACCC to act."
