Melbourne Western Suburbs See Mixed Petrol Prices With Some Pockets of Relief
Right, so if you're out in Melbourne's west this week, the fuel situation's a bit of a mixed bag and I reckon it's worth having a squiz before you fill up.
Here's the thing. Some suburbs have copped price increases of 10 to 15 cents overnight, while others are actually seeing prices come down. It's one of those weeks where knowing which servo to hit can save you a decent chunk of change.
The Good News First
Let's start with the wins because we could all use some good news at the bowser.
St Albans has seen some pretty solid drops, with premium unleaded 98 coming down significantly. Now, I know most of us aren't filling up with the fancy stuff, but it's a sign that competition is heating up in the area.
Werribee is another spot where prices are trending in the right direction. Premium 95 has dropped about 11 cents across multiple servos there. For the regular unleaded crowd, you're looking at prices that are more reasonable than a few days back.
Taylors Lakes is also worth keeping an eye on. Premium 95 dropped over 11 cents and the flow on effect means standard ULP is sitting at decent levels too.
Where You Might Want to Hold Off
Now for the suburbs where the price cycle has kicked in the wrong direction.
Sunshine has copped it a bit rough. ULP jumped about 14.5 cents, pushing prices up to around 192 cents per litre. That's the kind of increase that adds up quick, especially if you're doing the daily commute into the city.
Deer Park is in a similar boat. ULP went up nearly 11 cents and diesel increased too. If you're out that way, it might be worth ducking over to Deer Park's neighbouring suburbs to see if you can do better.
Craigieburn up in the north has seen diesel jump about 15.5 cents to around 193 cents per litre. E10 also went up nearly 12 cents there. For the tradies and those running utes, that's a fair hit to the weekly fuel budget.
Tarneit has seen some increases too, particularly on the premium end of things.
The Smart Play This Week
If you're flexible on where you fill up, here's what I reckon.
For the western suburbs, your best bet is to check out the servos closer to Werribee and Taylors Lakes where prices have eased. Even a short detour can save you a tenner or more on a full tank.
Deer Park servos still have some competitive diesel at around 173 to 174 cents if you shop around. The spread there is about 10 cents between the cheapest and most expensive, so it pays to check before you pull in.
For those in the northern growth corridor around Craigieburn, you might want to look at timing your fill up for later in the week when prices typically ease after the initial cycle spike.
Comparing to the Rest of Victoria
Victoria as a whole is sitting at a diesel average of around 191 cents, with prices ranging from 166 cents up to 209.9 cents depending on where you are.
The regional towns are actually offering some solid value at the moment. Bright in the Alpine region has diesel averaging around 174 cents. Moe in Gippsland is showing diesel from 166.9 cents. Worth considering if you're heading that way for a weekend trip.
Melbourne metro overall is sitting in that middle range, but the western suburbs have the biggest variation right now. A bit of planning goes a long way.
What's Driving These Changes
The usual suspects really. The price cycle in Melbourne tends to see prices jump early in the week and then gradually ease. Add in some competition between the big brands and independents, and you get these suburb by suburb variations.
What I've noticed is the outer suburbs tend to see sharper movements both up and down. The servos out in growth areas like Tarneit and Craigieburn often follow the cycle more aggressively than the established inner suburbs.
The Bottom Line
Look, if you're filling up in Melbourne's west this week, do yourself a favour and have a quick look at prices before you commit. The difference between Sunshine at 192 cents and Werribee at lower levels can easily mean $8 to $10 saved on a 60 litre tank.
That's a couple of coffees or a few beers at the pub. Can't argue with keeping that cash in your pocket instead of handing it over at the bowser.
Stay savvy out there.
