This week's petrol trough check (Australia)

Check when prices are cheapest in your city this week: cycle stage, outage caveats, report times, then the fuel map and app before leaving.

By FuelRadarUpdated 23 October 20262 min read

Where capitals sit now (Unleaded 91)

SydneyCity average 236.6c/L · 23 OctFalling
MelbourneCity average 235.2c/L · 23 OctFalling
BrisbaneCity average 235.3c/L · 23 OctFalling
PerthCity average 229.5c/L · 23 OctFalling
AdelaideCity average 230.1c/L · 23 OctFalling
CanberraCity average 244.1c/L · 23 OctNear the expensive end
DarwinCity average 244.6c/L · 23 OctFalling
HobartCity average 245.4c/L · 23 OctFalling

Confirm before you drive: petrol price cycles · fuel map

Check prices this week

Use this check when you are deciding whether to fill now or wait. Petrol price cycles move city by city, so start with your city, then confirm nearby station reports before you leave. Current charts are on the petrol price cycles hub; station prices and report times sit on the fuel map.

How to read trough, climb, peak and fall

Trough · prices are near the cheaper end after a multi-day fall. Often the better window for a full tank, if nearby stations still show recent reports.
Climb · retailers lift prices in waves. Early climb can still be acceptable; late climb is usually poor value for a large fill.
Peak · the expensive stretch. Buy only what you need to reach the next fall unless you have no choice.
Fall · prices ease toward the next trough. Waiting can pay if you are not near empty.

Cycles are city-specific. For the national walkthrough see fuel price cycles explained. For live charts open /petrol-price-cycles.

Capital best-day guides

Open your city for timing context, then confirm with current station reports before leaving:

Related national timing guide: best day to buy fuel.

Outage and report-time caveats

A cheap board price is not useful if the grade you need is unavailable, and a recent price report is not proof that fuel is in stock. Treat dry and outage flags as station-level reports: check the affected grade, source, confidence and update time on the stations running dry tracker before a long detour. Regional and highway markets often ignore capital cycles, so reported station prices plus report freshness beat calendar rules.

Fill vs wait checklist

Where the cycle looks	Usual move
Trough / early fall	Fill a full tank after comparing nearby reported prices and update times.
Early climb	Fill if you are under half a tank; do not wait for a deeper trough that may already have passed.
Late climb / peak	Top up only what you need, then watch for the fall.
Unsure / regional	Skip the guess · open the map, filter your grade and check report time.

Map and app

Ready to act? Compare today's cheapest useful station for your grade · price, distance and when it was reported · on the FuelRadar map. Prefer alerts and saved stations on the go? Download FuelRadar.

Sources

Cycle literacy aligns with the ACCC petrol price-cycle guidance for regular unleaded in the five largest cities. Perth drivers can also use FuelWatch today/tomorrow notified prices. Always confirm live reports on the map before you travel. Guide checked for the week of 11 September 2026 (Australia).

Petrol price cycles Open fuel map

Common questions

What is a petrol price trough?

The cheaper end of a retail unleaded cycle after prices have fallen for a period. Timing differs by city and cycle, so check the current chart and nearby station reports rather than a fixed weekday.

Is the cheapest day the same in every city?

No. When prices are cheapest is city-specific. Use your capital best-day guide and the petrol price cycles hub for your city, then compare nearby stations before leaving.

Do outage flags mean a station has no fuel?

Not automatically. Flags are station-level availability reports that can be stale or incomplete. Check the grade, confidence and update time, then verify locally before a long detour.

Where should I go after reading this?

Open /petrol-price-cycles for city charts, a capital best-day guide for timing context, the fuel map for station prices and report times, and the app if you want alerts on the go.