Clare Petrol Jumps 30 Cents as South Australia Climbs Into the Top of the Cycle
Right, so South Australia has copped a fair old kick in the pump prices this week, and if you're filling up anywhere near the mid north you'll wanna hear about this before you next roll into a servo.
The big one is Clare. As of Friday arvo, 22nd May 2026 around 2pm, the unleaded average up there has climbed 30 cents in a week, going from 167.5 to 197.7 across the five stations we track in town. That's not a typo, mates. Thirty cents a litre. Fill a 60 litre tank and you're handing over about eighteen bucks more than you would have last week for the exact same fuel. That's a slab of beers and a couple of coffees, gone, just like that.
The cycle's doing exactly what it does
Here's the thing, right. Prices grind down nice and slow for a few weeks, everyone gets comfy, and then bang, the servos snap the price back up almost overnight. Clare's just the first cab off the rank this time round. When you see a regional town jump like that, it usually means the rest of the state isn't far behind.
Diesel's copped a nudge too
And sure enough, diesel prices are on the move as well. The SA diesel average has lifted 9 cents in a day, sitting at 232.1 cents now compared to 223.1 yesterday. If you're running a ute or towing the van out for a long weekend, that one stings a bit as well.
Now before anyone in Adelaide starts spitting the dummy, here's a bit of perspective. Even with that diesel bump, South Australia is still one of the better value mainland states for the truckies. SA diesel at 232.1 is sitting cheaper than Victoria on 237.1, and it's right in the mix with NSW and Queensland which are both hovering around 232 to 233. Spare a thought for the poor buggers up in the Northern Territory, where diesel is averaging just shy of 290 cents. Makes our prices look downright friendly.
The petrol play this week
Petrol's what most of us are putting in, though, and with unleaded petrol prices climbing like this, when you fill up makes all the difference. If you're in or around Clare and your tank is still half full, you've got a decision to make. The smart play when a town jumps this hard is to grab just enough to get you through, then keep an eye out for the cheaper servos that haven't moved yet. There's always one or two doing the right thing by locals and holding off on the hike for a day or so.
Fair dinkum, the difference between filling up on the wrong day and the right day in this game can be twenty bucks a tank, easy. Over a year that's real money. That's why I always reckon you'd be mad not to check before you fill, especially when the cycle's clearly on the way up like it is right now.
What I reckon
If you're not sure where your town sits in the cycle, have a squiz at the best time to fill up guide. It breaks down the pattern so you're not just guessing. The whole point is to fill before the rise, not after, and once a town has already jumped 30 cents like Clare has, the smart money says you've probably missed the bottom for this round.
For the Adelaide crew, keep your eyes peeled over the next few days. When a regional centre moves first, the metro servos tend to follow within the week. If you see your local still sitting on last week's price, that's your window. Don't muck about, just fill up while it's cheap.
Look, end of the day, fuel prices are gonna do what they do, and there's no stopping the cycle. But a bit of planning and a quick check before you pull in means more cash stays in your pocket for the stuff that actually matters. Whether you're in Clare, Adelaide or anywhere across SA, watch the boards this week and fill smart. Can't argue with that.
