Petrol and fuel

  • In Australia, petrol, diesel and automotive LPG prices are deregulated. This means Australian fuel prices are not controlled by the government. The market determines prices.

  • Fuel prices go up and down due to a mix of factors, including overseas and local market forces.
  • We provide weekly information on recent unleaded petrol prices in Australia's five major cities.

What affects fuel prices

Changes in international benchmark prices and the value of the Australian dollar influence fuel prices. Other factors are pricing decisions by wholesalers and retailers, and levels of competition in different locations.

Petrol price cycles in major cities

Petrol prices move up and down in regular patterns in Australia’s major cities. These petrol price cycles are the result of pricing policies of petrol retailers.

Fuel prices in regional locations

Petrol prices in regional locations are generally higher than in capital cities. Prices are also more stable, as most regional locations don’t have petrol price cycles.

Ethanol and other biofuels

Biofuels, such as ethanol blended fuels and biodiesel, are made from vegetable and animal products. We monitor changes in the biofuels market.