Queensland Diesel Climbs Nearly 20 Cents in a Week While Southern Suburbs Stay Under 170
Right, so if you're running a diesel rig up in Queensland, you might want to sit down for this one. The state average has pushed past 208 cents a litre as of this weekend, and that's up from around 188 cents just last Monday. Nearly 20 cents in a week. Fair dinkum, that is a serious jump.
Now, I've been banging on about price differences between states for a while, but this one's got me scratching my head. While Brisbane and the rest of Queensland are copping north of two bucks a litre for diesel, plenty of suburbs down south are sitting well under 170 cents. We're talking a 30 to 40 cent difference depending on where you fill up. That is wild.
Queensland and South Australia Leading the Charge
Here's the thing, right. Queensland diesel averaging 208.1 cents puts it behind only the Northern Territory at 235.4 cents. And we all know the Territory gets hammered on transport costs, so that's not a great comparison. What should worry Queensland motorists is how fast this has moved. A week ago the state average was closer to 188 cents. That is the kind of increase that adds up real fast if you're doing any sort of kilometres.
South Australia is in a similar boat. The diesel average there has climbed to 192.6 cents, up from 178.3 just five days earlier. That is a 14 cent jump and while it is not as dramatic as Queensland, it is heading in the wrong direction.
Meanwhile, Victoria is sitting pretty at 179.8 cents average and Western Australia at 180.2. Both barely moved from where they were a few days ago. I reckon that makes the Queensland situation stand out even more.
Southern Suburbs Where Diesel Is Actually Cheap
If you're lucky enough to be down in Victoria, there are some seriously competitive diesel prices in the suburbs right now.
Deer Park has diesel from 162.5 cents with an average of 167.2 across four servos. Epsom near Bendigo is even better, with one station at 159.3 cents. Doveton in Melbourne's southeast is tight at 169 to 171 cents with only a 2.9 cent spread between the cheapest and most expensive. When your whole suburb is within three cents of each other, you know the competition is doing the right thing.
Over in regional Victoria, Moe has five stations averaging 170.1 cents and Bright up in the northeast is at 171.2 average. Even Ballarat has a cheapest price of 159.3 cents if you shop around, though the spread there is nearly 30 cents so you really need to know which servo to hit.
Tasmania is worth a mention too. Invermay near Launceston has diesel from 168.9 cents across four stations. Not bad for a state that often cops higher prices due to Bass Strait freight costs.
What Is Going On Up North
The question everyone's asking is why Queensland has shot up so dramatically. Part of it comes down to the fuel cycle up there and part of it is the smaller number of stations reporting. Queensland had 332 stations in the latest data compared to over 1,000 in NSW and 811 in Victoria. Less competition generally means higher prices, and when costs go up they tend to stick around longer.
For context, NSW diesel also jumped this week from 171.2 to 181.8 cents. That is a 10.6 cent increase overnight, which would normally be the headline. But Queensland at 208 cents makes everything else look modest by comparison.
What This Means for Your Wallet
Let me put it this way. If you're filling a 70 litre tank with diesel in Queensland right now, you're paying about $145.70. The same tank in Deer Park costs around $117. That is nearly $29 difference for one tank. If you're a tradie or truckie filling up twice a week, you're looking at an extra $58 a week just because of where you live. Over a year that is over $3,000. You could buy a decent holiday for that.
Worth Keeping an Eye On
The numbers I'd be watching this week are these. Queensland is at 208.1 average. If it pushes past 210, that puts it firmly in territory we usually only see in remote areas and the outback.
South Australia at 192.6 is creeping up. If it follows Queensland's trajectory, Adelaide drivers could be looking at $2 a litre diesel before long.
Victoria and WA are steady for now, so if you're down south, enjoy it while it lasts.
Look, end of the day, diesel prices across the country are all over the shop right now. The gap between the cheapest suburbs in Victoria and the Queensland average is nearly 50 cents a litre. If you can plan your fill ups around the cheaper servos in your area, do it. And if you're heading interstate anytime soon, maybe fill the tank before you cross the border into Queensland. Can't argue with that.
