Victorian Regional Towns See Petrol Prices Climb 10 Cents While Melbourne Stays Put
Right, so here's the thing, right. If you've been driving around regional Victoria this week, you've probably noticed the bowser hitting you a bit harder than usual. Meanwhile, your mates in Melbourne are scratching their heads wondering what you're on about. That's because there's a fair dinkum price gap opening up between the city and the country right now.
Let's talk about what's actually happening out there.
Ballarat Motorists Cop 10 Cent Unleaded Increase
Ballarat drivers have seen unleaded petrol jump about 10 cents to sit around 169.4 cents per litre on average. Now, you'd be mad not to shop around, because some servos are still doing the right thing with prices in the low 160s if you know where to look.
The thing is, Ballarat usually tracks pretty close to Melbourne prices, but this week there's been a bit of a disconnect. Premium 98 has also jumped over 13 cents in the same area, which is a decent whack if you're running a performance car.
Traralgon and the Gippsland Region
Out east in Traralgon, diesel prices have shot up over 20 cents to sit around 187.4 cents. Now, I know diesel isn't everyone's fuel, but if you're towing the van or running a ute for work, that's adding up fast. We're talking an extra 15 bucks or so every time you fill up a standard 70 litre tank.
The Gippsland region more broadly, including Bairnsdale, has seen diesel climb about 8 cents as well. Worth keeping an eye on if you're heading down that way for a holiday.
Some Bright Spots in Regional Victoria
Now, it's not all bad news. Moe in the Latrobe Valley has some of the cheapest diesel going around at 166.5 cents at the best servo, with an average around 173.7 cents. That's actually cheaper than most of Melbourne right now, fair dinkum.
Epsom near Bendigo is also showing competitive pricing with diesel from 166.9 cents. And Bright up in the high country, which you'd normally expect to cop tourist pricing, is sitting pretty reasonable at around 170.9 cents for diesel.
Speaking of Bendigo, here's a bit of good news for the autogas crew. LPG has actually dropped over 10 cents in Bendigo to around 98.5 cents per litre. If you're running a converted car, that's a nice little Christmas present right there.
Melbourne Northern Suburbs Mixed Bag
Reservoir has seen premium 95 climb about 9 cents to 197.2 cents, while Preston diesel is up nearly 9 cents to 188.6 cents. But there are still deals to be had if you shop around.
Thomastown and Kingsbury are showing diesel from around 171 to 172 cents at the cheaper servos. Deer Park out west is also competitive with diesel from 173.9 cents.
What's Going On Here
Look, end of the day, regional areas often cop it a bit harder with transport costs and less competition. But a 10 cent gap on unleaded between Melbourne and places like Ballarat is more than usual.
The price cycle hasn't really kicked in hard in Melbourne yet, which is why metro prices are sitting relatively flat. Regional areas don't always follow the same cycle patterns, so they can move independently.
The Bottom Line
If you're in regional Victoria, here's what I reckon:
Moe, Epsom, and Bright are worth checking out if you're driving through and need diesel. For unleaded, keep an eye on the independent servos in Ballarat that haven't jumped with the chains.
Melbourne folks, enjoy it while it lasts. The cycle will come around eventually, and when it does, you'll be wishing you'd filled up this week.
A bit of planning means more cash in your pocket for the important stuff. Can't argue with that.
