Melbourne Western Suburbs Cop Another Round of Petrol Price Hikes While Coburg Drops

Melbourne Western Suburbs Cop Another Round of Petrol Price Hikes While Coburg Drops

Right, so if you've filled up anywhere out west in Melbourne lately, you've probably noticed your wallet feeling a bit lighter. Here's the thing, right: the petrol price cycle has kicked in hard across suburbs like Sunshine, Altona North, and Deer Park, and motorists are copping increases of up to 24 cents a litre.

Now, you'd be mad not to pay attention to this one. Sunshine has seen unleaded petrol jump by 23.6 cents overnight, pushing the average up to around 198.3 cents a litre. That's nearly two bucks a litre just for standard unleaded. Fair dinkum, that's the price of a coffee for every litre you put in the tank.

What's Happening Out West

Altona North has been hit almost as hard, with unleaded climbing 17.6 cents to sit at about 207.4 cents a litre. Deer Park isn't far behind either, recording a 14.4 cent increase that's brought prices up to 186.5 cents on average.

If you're driving through Truganina, the story's similar. Premium 95 there has gone up 12.3 cents and is now averaging 194.3 cents. The servos across Victoria's western growth corridors are all feeling the pinch of the cycle peak.

But Here's the Good News

While the west is getting done over, there's actually some relief happening in the northern suburbs. Coburg has dropped 15.6 cents on unleaded, bringing the average down to a much friendlier 184.3 cents a litre. Thomastown is doing even better with a 12 cent decrease, sitting at 181.9 cents.

So if you're flexible on where you fill up, heading north instead of west could save you close to 25 cents a litre right now. On a 50 litre tank, that's $12.50 back in your pocket. Worth the detour if you ask me.

The Numbers You Need to Know

Here's how the western suburbs are stacking up as of this morning:

What About Premium?

If you're running a car that needs the good stuff, the news isn't great either. St Albans has seen Premium 98 jump by 21.9 cents, now sitting at 234.6 cents a litre. Sunshine and Altona North have both copped increases around 18 to 20 cents for Premium 98 as well.

Those running Premium 95 aren't escaping either. Seaford down in the southeast has recorded a 12.2 cent jump on 95, bringing it to 227.3 cents.

Tips From a Bloke Who's Watched These Cycles for Years

Look, the fuel cycle in Melbourne is pretty predictable once you get your head around it. The western suburbs tend to spike first when the cycle goes up, and they're often the last to come back down. Here's what I reckon you should do:

1. Check the northern suburbs first. Coburg, Thomastown, and surrounding areas are often a day or two behind the western price hikes.
1. Fill up early in the week. The data shows prices usually bottom out on Tuesday or Wednesday before climbing again.
1. Use a fuel price app. I know it sounds obvious, but checking before you drive anywhere can save you a fortune.
1. Consider E10 if your car handles it. The price difference between E10 and standard unleaded can be significant during peak cycle times.

Looking Ahead

The cycle usually takes about a week to work through, so if you can hold off filling up for a few days, prices should start dropping again across the western suburbs. Keep an eye on Deer Park and Truganina as they often lead the way down once competition kicks back in.

For those of you commuting from the western suburbs into the city, it might be worth filling up closer to work in the inner north rather than locally. The price gap right now is too big to ignore.

Look, end of the day, a bit of planning means more cash in your pocket for the important stuff. Can't argue with that.