Service stations across Australia have been hit by fuel shortages, leading to panic buying and queues of cars around the block in some places.
But there are no lines of locals hoping to fill up jerry cans at the independent Batlow petrol station – because it's clean out of fuel.
The only servo in the town more than 400km from Sydney ran out of petrol earlier this week and no one knows when more will arrive.
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"We've got no fuel, and the operator hasn't got any and can't give us any sort of date when the fuel is going to come back," Batlow service station worker Sam Hughes told nine.com.au.
He said operators are having a hard time finding fuel at a reasonable price, leaving independent stations like Batlow in strife.
"This is the environment where independents get squeezed out of markets," he said.
"We're waiting to see if the market comes down or we get some sort of government assistance."
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Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr echoed Hughes' fear that independent retailers are being squeezed out by big companies, leaving communities like Batlow to pay the price.
"I'm hearing of independent operators under quite a lot of pressure, not getting fuel, running low on fuel, even running out of fuel elsewhere too," he told nine.com.au.
"That says to me, there is an issue with the system, this is not just panic buying.
"Batlow is a bit like the canary in the coal mine."
The fuel shortage caused by the war in Iran has hit regional areas especially hard, as most have access to a limited number of service stations but rely on petrol for more than just getting around.
Plenty of Batlow locals own acreages and need fuel for tractors and other machinery as well as their cars.
It's also vital to the local agriculture industry, as well as emergency services in the region.
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With the local servo all sold out, Batlow residents are being forced to drive 30 minutes away to Tumut for reliable fuel.
But if you've only got a quarter tank left, and there's no public transport, that's a big ask.
"It's been a shock to the local population, especially in the lower socio-economic [bracket]," Hughes said.
"Hopefully there's a bit of community spirit when it comes to jerry canning around."
He added that Australians living in metropolitan areas don't understand just how hard the fuel shortage has hit regional areas.
Because it's not just Batlow struggling; it's small towns across the entire nation.
And the shortage could have a significant long-term impact on those local economies.
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"In regional areas, agriculture and truck transport are the lifeline of our economy," McGirr said.
"They're important for all of our wealth, so our focus on that is going to be pretty critical in the months ahead."
Today, Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced the government will help address the fuel shortage by releasing up to 20 per cent of its local "rainy day" stockpiles for petrol and diesel.
It will free up more than 760 million litres of fuel from the nation's domestic reserves.
Bowen said the government is also taking steps to prioritise supply to regional areas hit hardest by the shortage.
In the meantime, McGirr and Hughes said Batlow is a resilient community and will rally together until more fuel arrives.
When exactly that will be, however, remains unclear.
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