NSW Fuel Prices Jump Across the Board and Moorebank [E10](/fuel/e10) Cops a 15 Cent Hit

Right, so if you filled up anywhere in NSW over the weekend thinking you were sweet, I reckon you might want to sit down for this one. Prices have gone up across the board overnight, and some suburbs have copped it worse than others.

The big number this morning is diesel, which has jumped 9.7 cents across the state to an average of 297.4 cents a litre. That is the biggest overnight move of any state in the country today. But here is the thing, right. It is not just diesel doing the damage. E10 and premium fuels have climbed too, and if you are driving around southwest Sydney filling up with E10 to save a few bucks, you need to know what is happening.

Moorebank Wears the Worst of It

Moorebank has been hit from every angle this week. E10 there has jumped 15.2 cents to 243.1 cents a litre, which is a fair old whack when you think about it. That is roughly an extra $7.60 on a 50 litre tank compared to last week. premium 98 in the same suburb is up 18.4 cents to 271.3, and premium diesel has climbed 10.6 cents to 296.5.

Now, you would be mad not to ask why one suburb is getting smacked this hard. Moorebank sits right on the M5 corridor and has always been competitive, so when it moves, it usually means the whole southwest is following. If you are out Fairfield way, diesel there is sitting at 289.7 with barely any spread between servos, so at least you know nobody is taking the mick. Granville is similar at 290.8 for diesel with only a 4 cent gap between the cheapest and dearest.

Regional NSW Feeling It Too

It is not just a Sydney story either. Down in Goulburn, E10 has crept up 7.7 cents to 245.6 cents a litre. For a town that sees plenty of traffic heading between Sydney and Canberra, that adds up quick for anyone doing that run regularly.

Further out west, Griffith diesel is averaging 289.7 cents but there is a 27 cent spread across 8 servos. That means someone in town is charging 306.9 while another servo has it at 279.9. Fair dinkum, that is nearly $14 difference on a full tank of a ute. Worth driving across town for, no question.

Marulan on the Hume Highway is averaging 290.1 for diesel, and Lavington up near Albury is at 291.4 with a 13 cent spread. The pattern is the same everywhere. Prices are up, but the servos doing the right thing by locals are still findable if you look.

How NSW Compares to the Rest

Here is where it gets interesting. NSW diesel at 297.4 is now the most expensive state average in the country apart from Queensland at 302.5. Victoria is sitting at 294.3, Western Australia at 295.2, and Tasmania at 294.0. The ACT is at 295.3 with its usual tight 14 cent spread.

The Northern Territory has the wildest range of the lot at 251.7 cents between cheapest and dearest, but their average is actually the lowest at 292.3. Go figure.

The real story for everyday motorists though is not diesel. Most of us are filling up with unleaded or E10, and those prices are climbing too. If you have been choosing E10 to save money, it is still cheaper than regular unleaded, but that gap has narrowed. A 15 cent jump in Moorebank is the kind of move that makes you reconsider whether the saving is worth chasing.

What You Can Actually Do About It

Look, I am not going to sugarcoat it. Prices are going up and there is not much any of us can do about the wholesale side. But here is what I reckon is worth doing this week.

First, check your suburb before you head out. Smithfield diesel is at 291.3 with a tight 5.4 cent spread, meaning you are not going to get ripped off wherever you stop. Yagoona is similar at 291.3 with only 3.4 cents between servos. These are the suburbs where competition is keeping things honest.

Second, if you are doing a long drive through regional NSW, check Griffith or anywhere with a big spread. That 27 cent gap means there is genuine money to save if you pick the right servo instead of just pulling into the first one you see.

Third, fill up today if you can. When NSW moves this hard overnight, it usually means more suburbs are about to follow. The servos that have not repriced yet will catch up by tomorrow.

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