Hawthorn Unleaded Drops 15 Cents While Gippsland Servos Push the Other Way

Right, so if you reckon petrol prices move the same way across Victoria, I've got news for you. The state's basically split in two right now, and depending on where you fill up, you're either laughing or copping it.

Let me break it down. Over in Hawthorn, unleaded has dropped a solid 15.5 cents to sit around 225.6 cents a litre as of 15th Mar 2026. That's the kind of fall that puts a genuine smile on your face at the bowser. Meanwhile, out in Bairnsdale in Gippsland, unleaded has gone the complete opposite direction, jumping nearly 14 cents to 239.8. That's a 14 cent gap between the two, and they're in the same state.

Now, you'd be mad not to look at what's happening in between. Werribee out in the western suburbs has seen unleaded climb 10.8 cents to 235.2, while Warragul in West Gippsland has E10 up over 9 cents to 233.5. So it's not just one pocket copping the increase. The whole eastern corridor from the outer suburbs through to Gippsland is trending up.

Here's the thing, right. This is the classic Melbourne fuel cycle doing its thing, but what makes this week interesting is how sharp the split is between the inner city and regional towns. Usually you see the whole metro area move together and the country towns follow a few days later. This time, inner suburbs like Hawthorn are clearly on the downswing while the regions are still climbing.

E10 Tells a Different Story Up North

If you're up around Shepparton, there's actually some decent news. E10 has dropped 11.4 cents to 231.4 cents a litre, which is a solid saving if your car takes it. That's cheaper than the unleaded in most of the suburbs copping increases right now.

For anyone who hasn't switched to E10, it's worth a look. Most cars built after 2005 can run it without any dramas, and when you're saving 5 to 8 cents a litre compared to standard unleaded, that adds up to a fair few dollars every fill. At current prices in Shepparton, you'd save close to $4 on a 50 litre tank compared to filling up with ULP in Bairnsdale.

Regional VIC Diesel Is Getting Interesting Too

I know I bang on about diesel a fair bit, but there's something worth noting for the tradies and anyone towing. Warragul diesel has jumped nearly 12 cents to 271.2, which is a decent hit if you're running a ute for work.

But then you look at somewhere like Colac down on the western highway and there's a servo doing diesel at 189.9 cents. Fair dinkum, that's 81 cents cheaper than the dearest in Warragul. Even over in East Bendigo, you can find diesel at 223 cents, which is well below the state average of 267.9.

The spread across Victoria for diesel is a massive 160 cents from the cheapest to the most expensive. That's the kind of gap where it genuinely pays to check prices before you fill up, especially if you're on a road trip through the regions.

What About Warrnambool?

Down in Warrnambool, there's an interesting little story for anyone running LPG. Autogas has dropped 12.6 cents to 81.8 cents a litre. When unleaded is sitting well over 200 cents everywhere, that kind of gap makes the dual fuel conversion look pretty attractive for anyone doing serious kilometres.

So What Should You Actually Do?

Look, end of the day, the message is pretty simple. If you're in inner Melbourne, fill up now while prices are low because the cycle will swing back up. If you're out in Gippsland or the western suburbs and prices are peaking, try to hold off a few days if you can or make the drive to a cheaper suburb if it's on your way.

For the regional drivers, it is genuinely worth checking the interactive fuel map before heading out. The difference between the cheapest and dearest servo in country Victoria right now is bigger than the price of a slab of beer, and nobody wants to be paying more than they have to.

Worth keeping an eye on over the next few days. If the inner city has already dropped, the regions usually follow within the week. Fingers crossed for the Gippsland mob.