Fuel crisis: Staggering 87.5 cents per litre gap between WA’s cheapest and priciest unleaded and diesel

WA regional drivers are paying almost 90 cents per litre more to fill up, with fuel prices varying wildly across the State.

FuelWatch reports prices will drop in the Perth metropolitan area between Monday and Tuesday, in line with the previous weekly cycle.

However, prices will be mostly unchanged for motorists filling up in the regions. Where there is a reduction at those regional service stations, it will only be by two cents.

The update comes as many families pack up from their Easter long weekends away and head back to the city.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen again reiterated that it was important not to panic buy on Monday, telling people to only take what they need “no more, no less”.

He said demand for fuel had spiked 30 per cent during the Easter break as households and businesses topped up with petrol and diesel.

The cheapest unleaded petrol in Perth on Tuesday will be at Burk Oakford on Thomas Road at 193.30 cpl, while the chain’s Cannington station on Albany Highway will also be priced the same. It marks a six cent drop from Monday.

The most expensive fuel remains in the regions, with unleaded at 280.80 cpl at Exmouth Fuel Supplies in the State’s north.

It marks a staggering 87.50 cpl gap between Western Australia’s most expensive and most affordable fuel.

The most expensive station was followed by 279.90 cpl at BP Ravensthorpe near the south coast, the nearby Petros Fuels in Munginup and Ningaloo Reef Fuels in the State’s north.

The cheapest unleaded petrol in Perth on Monday was at Vibe’s Oakford Truckstop along Thomas Road at 198.80 per litre, this price will drop further on Tuesday to 196.70 cpl.

According to the FuelWatch website on Monday, several sites reported that selected fuel types were unavailable.

The disruptions mostly included independents but were scattered across WA from Broome to the Mid-West and then down to Esperance.

United Rangeway in Geraldton, Walkaway General Store, and S-Bend Caravan Park in South Greenough were all on the disruptions list.

It also included Balingup Liquor & General Store and Condello’s Liquor Waterloo in Picton East in the South West, and three Shell Reddy Express stores in Broome, Edgewater, and Esperance,

Others were have frequently been without fuel includes Mt Barker Fuel Services and Hills Emporio in Karragullen. Lori’s Fuel Supply in Kelmscott, Solo Riverton, and Ampol Foodary Warnbro were also listed.

Liberty in Beckenham will drop from 203.30 per litre on Monday to 199.30 cpl on Tuesday. Vibe in Ascot was priced at 209.70 on Monday but will drop to 203.70 on Tuesday.

For families returning to Perth from Easter holidays in the South West, Liberty West Busselton will drop its 249.30 cpl price on Monday to 223.30 on Tuesday, while less than a kilometre down Bussell Highway Vibe Broadwater will keep its price at 213.20 cpl.

There is little movement in the fuel prices in Margaret River, with Shell Reddy Express keeping prices at 223.50 cpl and Better Choice remaining at 245.50, while Geographe Petroleum will only drop two cents to 254.50.

Prices also remain the same in Wapole on the south coast, with unleaded at 266.90 cpl at BP and 265 cpl at IGA pioneer Store’s Ampol branded site.

Most Albany sites will keep the prices the same between Monday and Tuesday, with Petro Fuels Albany only dropping their price two cents to 217.50 cpl on Tuesday.

All prices in Esperance will remain the same, with Caltex Castletown at 239.90 cpl and Castletown Service Station priced at 242.90 cpl.

In Port Headland, the two BP’s in town had drastically different pricing. With BP Port Hedland Boulevard priced at 245.90 cpl while the Anderson Street BP down the road was 270 cpl.