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.
Analytics
Fuel Price Cycles
See where petrol sits in its price cycle across Australia, then use the map to compare reported station prices before you fill.
90-day historyCycle analysisCity comparison
What you are looking at
How petrol price cycles work
In most Australian capitals, retail petrol prices follow a repeating pattern: a sharp jump, then a slow fall. Where you sit in that cycle gives you the timing context for your next tank.
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.
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.
FuelRadar
Loading current fuel data
Reported prices and update times are being prepared for this page.
Common questions
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.