Tennant Creek's Lone Star Cuts Unleaded 20 Cents to 255.9 as Aileron Lifts 30 to 310

Right, so if you're running the Stuart Highway through the Northern Territory this weekend, two servos have just changed the sums on where to fill. Lone Star Service Station in Tennant Creek cut unleaded 20 cents to 255.9 on Monday, and on Thursday Aileron Roadhouse, about 370 km south, lifted its unleaded 30 cents to 310.0.

These are the prices lodged with the Territory's official fuel price scheme for Saturday 31st Oct 2026, read at 6:30am AEDT.

Lone Star now undercuts the Red Shop

When we looked at Alice Springs on 17 October, the Red Shop on Peko Road had the cheapest unleaded in Tennant Creek at 259.0, and Lone Star was on 275.9. That order held until last weekend, then it changed over two mornings. On Sunday 25 October, Tennant Creek Service Station on Paterson Street lifted from 265.0 to 271.5. On Monday 26 October, Lone Star cut from 275.9 to 255.9 and the Red Shop lifted from 259.0 to 268.0, both between 5am and 8am.

So Lone Star went from 16.9 cents above the Red Shop to 12.1 cents under it, and it has lodged 255.9 every day since. Of the four servos in town, it's the only one below where it started the month. BP Complex is on 279.9, 24 cents more than Lone Star, and the two are only 2 km apart on Paterson Street.

Lone Star is also 7.9 cents under the cheapest listing in Alice Springs, Ampol Teppa Hill on 263.8. The price data can't tell us why it moved, so keep an eye on whether it lasts.

Aileron is now level with Ti Tree

Aileron sat on 280.0 for unleaded every day this month until Wednesday. Between 5am and 8am on Thursday it went to 310.0, and regular diesel went from 315.0 to 340.0. That puts it level with Ti Tree Roadhouse, about 60 km up the road, which has been on 310.0 and 340.0 since 3 October.

Here's the thing, right. Until this week you could roll past Ti Tree and save 30 cents a litre at Aileron, and now you can't. Between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs the scheme shows just three highway stops selling unleaded: Devils Marbles Hotel at Wauchope on 286.0, then Ti Tree and Aileron on 310.0.

The highway from Darwin to the SA border

Heading south, these are the cheapest listed unleaded petrol prices at the main stops:

Katherine is only 1 cent over Darwin's cheapest, more than 300 km down the track. Alice Springs sits 46.2 cents under the 310.0 on either side of it.

Where to fill

If you're heading south from Darwin, top up in Katherine at 236.5, because Mataranka, about 105 km on, is 25.4 cents more.

Katherine to Tennant Creek is about 670 km, so most cars need one stop. I'd make it Daly Waters at 260.9, which is 14.1 cents under Elliott and 22.1 cents under Threeways.

Already in Tennant Creek? You'd be mad to pass Lone Star at 255.9. It's 54.1 cents under Ti Tree and Aileron, and that's $32.46 on a 60 litre tank, or a round of beers at the pub.

Tennant Creek to Alice Springs is about 505 km. At 9 to 10 litres per 100 km you'd burn around 50 litres, so a full tank gets plenty of cars there. If you're towing a van or driving something thirsty, work out your range first and buy what you need. You don't run it fine out here to save a few bucks.

Diesel drivers need a different plan, because Lone Star only lists premium diesel, at 299.9. For regular diesel prices, Devils Marbles Hotel at 306.0 sits just under BP Complex at 307.9 and the Red Shop at 308.0. Ti Tree and Aileron are on 340.0. Fair dinkum, Barrow Creek Hotel lists 387.9. Regular diesel in Alice Springs runs from 284.5 to 292.9.

The Territory's rules work in your favour here. A lodged price takes effect at 6am and can't rise for 24 hours, though servos can cut at any time, so today's prices can only hold or ease. Check the interactive fuel map before you hit the road, and run your own tank through the savings calculator.

Look, end of the day, that's $32 back on a tank for pulling into the right servo in Tennant Creek. Can't argue with that.