Fuel timing

Fuel price cycles

See where petrol sits in its price cycle across Australia, then compare reported station prices before you fill.

Check prices on the map

90-day historyCity comparisonReported data

Fuel moving from a terminal to Australian roads and a service station

FuelRadar

Loading current fuel data

Reported prices and update times are being prepared for this page.

Reading the pattern

Why the chart rises sharply and falls slowly

Many Australian capital-city petrol markets show a sharp reset followed by a slower fall. The current chart matters more than any fixed “cheap day”.

  1. After a jump

    When retailers reset prices, the rise can be sharp. If your tank can wait, check nearby stations and update times before filling straight after a rise.

  2. Lower part of the cycle

    After a jump, prices can drift lower for several days. The lower-price window often appears before the next reset, but the day shifts by city and cycle.

  3. Cycle length varies

    Cycle lengths differ by city. Brisbane often runs longer cycles, Sydney and Melbourne can be shorter, and Perth follows a weekly FuelWatch rhythm. Use the chart to confirm the current pattern.

Price cycle FAQ

It is not deliberate coordination. Retailers raise prices to recover margin, then compete each other down until margins disappear, at which point the cycle restarts. Market regulators have tracked this dynamic since the 1990s.