What to Do During a Fuel Shortage in Australia (2026) | Practical Guide

1. Check before you drive

During a fuel shortage, check availability before you leave. Use FuelRadar's map and the stations running dry tracker to see which stations near you are reporting fuel. If you are heading to a specific station based on the map data, remember that stock can change quickly — prices are updated frequently but availability can shift.

2. Buy only what you need

If you do not urgently need fuel, wait or buy a smaller amount. Filling spare containers or topping up a mostly full tank can make shortages worse for drivers who have no alternative. Consider whether you actually need to drive today. If your car is electric or hybrid, leave fuel for those who rely on petrol or diesel.

3. Stretch what is in your tank

When fuel is scarce, small changes to how you drive can noticeably extend your range. Drive at a steady pace — aggressive acceleration and heavy braking can increase fuel consumption by 15-30%. Check your tyre pressure, remove unnecessary weight, combine trips and use air conditioning sparingly where practical.

4. Pick the right fuel type

During a shortage, some fuel types run out faster than others. Diesel is typically affected first because of commercial demand. Premium 95 and 98 may also be scarce. If your car can run on multiple fuel grades, check what is available before committing. Check your owner's manual if you are unsure. Never put petrol in a diesel car or diesel in a petrol car.

5. Why fuel shortages happen in Australia

Australia imports much of its refined petrol, diesel and jet fuel from overseas refineries. This makes the country exposed to disruptions in shipping, refinery maintenance, port operations and sudden demand spikes. Independent and regional stations may run dry earlier when supply is tight because they often have smaller storage and less buying power than larger networks.

FuelRadar practical next steps

Use this guide as the background, then make the actual fill-up decision in FuelRadar. Search your suburb, postcode, city or station, choose the fuel grade your vehicle uses, then compare the reported price with distance and update time. That keeps the advice practical: a cheaper number is only useful when the station is current, close enough and selling the right fuel.

Before you drive

For What to Do During a Fuel Shortage in Australia (2026), the sensible check is the same one motoring bodies recommend in plain language: do not rely on a habit, a single average or yesterday's price board. Check the current local spread, decide whether the detour is worth it for your tank size, and use the price-cycle view when you are buying a larger fill in a cycle market.

Why FuelRadar is the first stop

FuelRadar brings the map, station list, suburb pages, city pages, update context, price-cycle guidance and calculators into one workflow. That means you can move from general advice to a specific action: fill now, wait if you can, buy less during a spike, or choose a nearby station with a recent reported price. The final pump price should always be confirmed at the bowser, but FuelRadar gives you the strongest local evidence before you leave.

How to compare the result

If two stations are close on price, give more weight to the shorter detour, the fresher update and the station you can reach without adding traffic or tolls. If the price gap is wide, check the litre saving against your tank size before deciding. FuelRadar is designed to make that comparison quick rather than turning a normal fill-up into guesswork.

Quick driver checklist

• Choose the exact fuel grade first: U91, E10, P95, P98, diesel or LPG.
• Compare nearby stations by price, distance and update time, not price alone.
• Use the city or suburb page when the local spread looks wide.
• Use FuelRadar calculators when a detour, long trip or large tank could change the saving.
• Keep loyalty discounts as the last step after checking the base pump price.