Data driven analysis from 10,000+ stations
Four weeks ago unleaded was $1.70 a litre. Today the national average is $2.55, diesel has smashed through $3 in every state, and National Cabinet is workshopping rationing scenarios. Marcus Riley breaks down the 36 day reserve problem, the dirty fuel rollback, the ACCC investigation into the big four retailers, and what the state by state data actually reveals about where this crisis is heading.
Diesel across Tasmania has climbed nearly 9 cents overnight to 311.8 cents a litre, with unleaded not far behind. The island state's dependence on sea freight for every drop of fuel means Tasmanians are paying a growing premium over mainland prices.
Unleaded petrol in Tamworth has climbed 21.2 cents per litre while Armidale and Orange also pushed higher across regional New South Wales. Economics educator Priya Sharma explains why country towns wear wholesale increases harder than metro areas and what it means for NSW motorists.
Northern Territory diesel has jumped 45.6 cents overnight to an average of 299.1 cents per litre, with remote communities paying up to $3.99. The $2.52 per litre spread between cheapest and most expensive is the widest of any Australian state.
Hamilton E10 has dropped 20.4 cents while Altona North unleaded climbed nearly 12 cents in a week that reveals just how fragmented Victorian fuel pricing has become. Regional diesel spreads of over 100 cents per litre raise serious questions about pricing transparency.
Australia spent two decades as the developed world's worst performer on fuel quality. In December 2025, we finally caught up. By March 2026, the government had already reversed course, and the reason reveals everything about how fragile our fuel security really is.
Melbourne unleaded prices have split sharply across suburbs, with Bayswater dropping 14 cents while Laverton North climbs nearly 10. The eastern suburbs are in the downswing phase and the practical savings add up fast.
Queensland diesel has eased 3.6 cents per litre while South Australia pushed through the $3 mark to become the most expensive state for diesel in the country. The economics of refinery access and supply chain length explain why neighbouring states can move in completely different directions.
NSW diesel has jumped 9.7 cents overnight to 297.4 cents, the biggest state move in the country today. Moorebank E10 is up 15.2 cents while regional towns like Griffith have a 27 cent spread between servos.
Western Australia diesel prices dropped 2.4 cents overnight while NSW and Tasmania climbed 7.8 cents each. Perth metro suburbs like Kwinana Beach and Forrestdale are offering competitive pricing, but regional WA and NT spreads exceed 130 cents.
Over 107 NSW stations ran out of diesel. Brent crude hit $112. Trump talks of winding down the war while deploying 2,500 more Marines. Iran's new Supreme Leader says the strait stays closed. A national fuel taskforce has been appointed. And Australia's reserves have dropped to 34 days.
Triabunna diesel shows a 107 cent spread between cheapest and dearest while Smithton hits 110 cents, raising serious questions about pricing transparency in regional Tasmania as the state's average diesel jumps 7.5 cents overnight.
Unleaded petrol in Ballarat has dropped 36.9 cents per litre while Dandenong climbed 12.2 cents at the same time. Economics educator Priya Sharma explains the price cycle mechanics behind these opposite movements and how Victorian motorists can time their fill ups for maximum savings.
With petrol above 230 cents a litre and the government flatly refusing to cut the 52.6 cent fuel excise, the political fight over what to do about pump prices is heating up. But the 2022 excise cut showed relief isn't as simple as halving a tax.
Canberra's 22 diesel stations sit within a 5 cent band while NSW has jumped 16 cents overnight and the Northern Territory swings by over 250 cents. Here is why the ACT's tiny market might actually have it right.
The ACCC has broken convention to publicly confirm investigations into Ampol, BP, Mobil and Viva Energy over diesel supply to regional Australia. Oil analysts are modelling $200 a barrel. The RBA split 5-4 on its rate hike. And Victoria's fuel price cap is failing. A data driven analysis of week four of the crisis.
Western Australia is the only state where fuel prices fell overnight, bucking a nationwide trend. In Kununurra, a $1.12 spread across five servos means one tank of fuel could cost $78 more at the wrong bowser.
New South Wales has recorded the sharpest diesel price increase of any Australian state, with the average across 1,067 stations jumping 7.1 cents overnight to 288.7 cents per litre. Western Sydney suburbs like Greenacre and Granville offer some relief below the state average.
Unleaded petrol across Melbourne's eastern suburbs has dropped up to 17 cents per litre while diesel prices climb across New South Wales and Tasmania. Economics educator Priya Sharma explains the market forces pushing these two fuel types in opposite directions.
The Federal Court fined Mobil $16 million for selling plain fuel as premium 'Synergy' at nine Queensland stations for four years. With penalties set to double to $100 million and the ACCC ramping up enforcement, here's what every motorist needs to know about what they're actually buying at the bowser.
Triabunna on Tasmania's east coast has a diesel spread of exactly $1 a litre across just three servos, while nearby Smithton shows a 96 cent gap. The data reveals that tiny Tasmanian towns are producing some of the wildest fuel price variations in Australia.
Regional Victoria is recording one of the widest unleaded pricing gaps this year, with Wendouree dropping 23 cents to 231.3 cents per litre while Bairnsdale has climbed 15 cents to 245 cents. The data shows savvy motorists could save more than $8 per tank by choosing where they fill up.
Unleaded petrol across Perth's southern suburbs has jumped up to 15 cents per litre as the city's price cycle resets. Economics educator Priya Sharma explains the wholesale pressure behind the surge and when prices are likely to drop again.
NSW diesel has surged 24.4 cents in a single day while Armidale unleaded jumped 18 cents per litre. Regional towns like Junee still offer relief, but the 90 cent spread across the state raises serious questions about pricing consistency.