NSW Coastal Petrol Prices Surge as Yamba and Port Macquarie Motorists Cop 29 Cent Increases

NSW Coastal Petrol Prices Surge as Yamba and Port Macquarie Motorists Cop 29 Cent Increases

Looking at the data from the past 24 hours, a notable pattern is emerging along the New South Wales coast. unleaded petrol prices in several popular regional towns have jumped substantially overnight, with Yamba recording one of the sharpest increases in the country at 29.2 cents per litre.

That is not a typo. Motorists in this small northern rivers town woke up on 13th Mar 2026 to find unleaded sitting at 218.7 cents per litre, up from 189.5 cents just a day earlier. For a 50 litre tank, that translates to an extra $14.60 at the bowser in a single day.

The Mid North Coast Is Feeling It Too

Further south along the coast, Port Macquarie is telling a similar story. Unleaded petrol across the town's nine tracked stations has climbed 16.8 cents to an average of 222.7 cents per litre. premium 95 in Port Macquarie has also risen 15.8 cents to 236.7 cents.

This is a significant shift for a town that many retirees and families call home. Worth noting is that just a week ago, motorists in these areas were filling up comfortably under $2 per litre in some cases. The data indicates that those days may be behind us for now.

A Statewide Trend, Not an Isolated Spike

The numbers tell an interesting story when you zoom out. Across NSW as a whole, diesel prices have surged 22.3 cents overnight to an average of 257.0 cents per litre across 1,015 stations. The cheapest diesel in the state sits at 205.9 cents, but the most expensive has pushed past 315 cents.

A closer analysis reveals that the price spread within NSW suburbs is substantial. In Fairfield, diesel averages 245.3 cents with a tight spread of just 10 cents between the cheapest and most expensive stations. Smithfield is similar at 246.3 cents average. But head to regional centres like Dunedoo in the central west and the spread blows out to 39 cents, ranging from 210.9 to 249.9 cents.

This tells us something important: in the regions, shopping around genuinely matters. The difference between the cheapest and dearest servo in a small town can easily save you $15 to $20 on a full tank.

Western Sydney Holds Steadier

Interestingly, parts of western Sydney appear to be weathering this round of increases better than the coast. Granville diesel sits at 248.2 cents with barely 4 cents separating the cheapest from the most expensive. Yagoona shows a similarly tight spread at 247.6 cents average.

For unleaded specifically, the western suburbs have historically benefited from intense competition between major chains. That pattern appears to be holding, at least for now, while coastal and regional towns bear the brunt of the latest price cycle upswing.

How Does NSW Compare Nationally?

Putting these numbers in context, NSW diesel at 257.0 cents is now tracking just above Western Australia at 256.9 cents and well above Victoria at 248.8 cents. The Northern Territory remains the most expensive jurisdiction at 264.7 cents average, though its extraordinary spread of 251.7 cents between cheapest and dearest reflects the vast distances between remote community servos and urban centres in Darwin.

Tasmania recorded the sharpest diesel increase of any state at 29.8 cents overnight, pushing its average to 253.7 cents. But for everyday motorists filling up with unleaded, the NSW coastal story is arguably more impactful given the sheer number of people affected.

What Motorists Should Do

The data is clear on this: motorists in regional and coastal NSW should be checking prices before filling up. The variation between stations, even within the same town, can be substantial.

For those in Yamba and surrounding towns in the northern rivers region, it is worth checking whether nearby centres offer better pricing. Similarly, Port Macquarie drivers might find better value by comparing the nine stations in town rather than pulling into the first servo they see.

Statistically speaking, motorists who compare prices across just three or four stations in their area save an average of 8 to 12 cents per litre. On a weekly fill of 50 litres, that adds up to $200 to $300 over a year.

The numbers are clear: with prices moving this sharply and this quickly along the NSW coast, checking before you fill has never been more worthwhile.