“The last cabs off the rank”: Dry days for smaller, family-run servos as fuel wholesalers hoard supply
“We’re just living day-to-day, basically.”
Matthew Sims
March 27, 2026
Independent petrol retailer Fast Fuel is entering its third week without diesel.
The Eastern Melburnian first contacted company director Paul Andronicou on March 20, during a scramble to secure unleaded for his Beaconsfield site before tanks ran dry.
A week later, while enough petrol was sourced to keep bowsers running, there has been no movement from the oil companies on diesel supply to the smaller players like him.
❓ What’s happening? About 20 percent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Sea before heading to Asia. Iran has effectively blocked traffic through the Strait since February 28, leading to Australia being forced to release its emergency fuel reserves.
Limited supply and rising demand have pushed prices higher, with unleaded in Melbourne’s east at about $2.55 per litre and diesel around $3.10 — if available.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Family roots: Fast Fuel began in the 1950s when Andronicou’s parents ran a service station in Kalkallo. Later, the family purchased a Wantirna site in 1979.
Paul and his brothers took over in 1990, rebranding to Fast Fuel and expanding to Mount Evelyn, Wandin and Beaconsfield, with plans for a new location in Cranbourne.
⛽ Fuel blockage: Andronicou said he had been “begging for fuel” for weeks, with suppliers prioritising contracted customers over independent retailers.
🗣️ “The oil companies have actually locked us out,” Andronicou told the Eastern Melburnian. “We’re just living from day-to-day, basically. We’re the last cabs off the rank.”
💰 Wholesale pressure: Andronicou said independents were paying more than major retailers, so had to keep their prices high to stay competitive.
🗣️ “[Wholesalers are] selling it for less today than I can buy it for tomorrow,” said Andronicou.
💰 Price differences: In terms of what commuters are paying at the pump, fuel comparison website Petrol Spy shows the gap. Shell’s Corner Servo in Glen Waverley is currently at $2.65 per litre, while independent provider United remains at the lower end of the spectrum at $2.50 in Burwood.
📈📉 Higher prices, less traffic: Metro Petroleum Doncaster East commission agent Jawad Naeem said demand had dropped by about 42 percent due to the Middle East conflict – from about 31,000 to about 18,000 litres daily.
🗣️ “People don’t want to fill up…they don’t want to pay more than they used to,” Naeem told the Eastern Melburnian.