Reservoir Unleaded Drops Over 7 Cents as Melbourne Northern Suburbs Show Mixed Signals

Reservoir Unleaded Drops Over 7 Cents as Melbourne Northern Suburbs Show Mixed Signals

Right, so petrol prices across Melbourne's northern suburbs have been doing that thing again where you've got to keep your wits about you. Some servos are dropping prices while others are quietly bumping them up, and if you're not paying attention you could end up paying way more than the bloke filling up at the pump next to you.

Here's the thing, right. Reservoir has just copped a decent drop in unleaded prices, falling 7.4 cents to sit at around 158.5 cents per litre on average. That's a fair saving if you're doing the weekly shop and need to top up the tank while you're out that way. The same suburb also saw premium 98 come down nearly 8 cents, which is worth knowing if your car needs the good stuff.

But before you reckon the whole northern corridor is getting cheaper, here's where it gets interesting. While Reservoir is going one way, some of the suburbs further out are heading the opposite direction.

Broadmeadows and Craigieburn Feeling the Pinch

Broadmeadows diesel has jumped 6.8 cents to around 181.5 cents, and Craigieburn is even worse with diesel up over 7 cents. If you're driving a tradie ute or a diesel SUV and you're based out that way, you might want to think about filling up closer to the inner north instead.

Thomastown is sitting in the middle with diesel averaging around 170.8 cents, which is actually not bad compared to the state average of 181.2 cents. With 8 servos in the area, there's a bit of competition keeping prices honest. Worth keeping an eye on if you're passing through on the way to work.

The Spread is Where the Money Is

Now, you'd be mad not to check the spread before you fill up. In Thomastown alone, the gap between cheapest and most expensive diesel is a whopping 27 cents. That's nearly $16 difference on a 60 litre tank. Could be the difference between shouting a round at the pub or drinking at home.

Kingsbury shows a similar story with diesel ranging from 162.5 to 181.9 cents. The average sits at 170.1 cents, but if you know which servo to hit, you're saving yourself a tenner easy.

Over in Deer Park in the western suburbs, diesel is actually pretty competitive at 167.6 cents average. The spread there is only 5 cents, so you're not going to get stung too badly wherever you fill up.

[E10](/fuel/e10) Worth a Look in the Outer Suburbs

For those of you running E10, there's been some movement too. Truganina E10 has gone up 9.4 cents to 159.3 cents, while Seaford down on the peninsula has actually dropped 6 cents to 153.7 cents. Fair dinkum, the difference between suburbs can really add up over a year.

Ferntree Gully E10 has jumped over 11 cents to 167.9 cents though, so if you're out in the eastern suburbs you might want to fill up before you head that way.

How Victoria Stacks Up

Looking at the bigger picture, Victoria diesel is averaging 181.2 cents statewide, which puts us pretty much in the middle of the pack nationally. South Australia is cheapest at 178.5 cents, while Northern Territory is copping it at 235.6 cents average. Mind you, that NT figure includes some seriously remote roadhouses where they've got to truck the stuff in for days.

The price spread across VIC diesel is 47.7 cents, from a low of 159.3 to a high of 207 cents. That's nearly $29 difference on a 60 litre fill. Worth doing your homework before you pull in anywhere.

The Bottom Line

If you're in Melbourne's north and driving a petrol car, Reservoir is doing the right thing by locals this week. The unleaded drop means you're paying less than 160 cents in some spots, which we haven't seen consistently for a while.

Diesel drivers in the outer north should maybe think about filling up in Thomastown or Kingsbury rather than waiting until you get to Craigieburn or Broadmeadows. The extra couple of k's driving could save you a decent amount.

Look, end of the day, a bit of planning means more cash in your pocket for the important stuff. Can't argue with that. Check the Petrolmate map before you head out and you won't get caught paying top dollar when there's a cheaper servo just down the road.