Where to find the cheapest fuel in Newcastle

Beat the bowser: Here’s today’s petrol and diesel fuel prices in Newcastle at 5:53am, Thursday, September 19.

THE average price of unleaded petrol in Newcastle this morning was 157.2 cents a litre.

Every day, the Newcastle News tracks local fuel prices in the city centre so that you know when and where you are paying too much.

The cheapest petrol at 05:53 today, according to Fuel Watch, was 147.9 cents a litre, 13.8 cents cheaper than the most expensive bowsers.

This is where you could get it:

• Matilda Birmingham Gardens, 77 Sandgate Rd, Birmingham Gardens NSW 2287

Other average and cheapest fuel prices:

Average diesel: 146.8 cents.

Cheapest diesel: 138.9 cents.

Average LPG: 85.6 cents.

Cheapest LPG: 75.9 cents.

Why you should shop around

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says petrol price cycles bear little relation to the wholesale price of fuel.

“The cheapest and most expensive days to buy petrol can change from cycle to cycle,” it says, recommending motorists “use price cycles to help you decide when to buy petrol”.

What service stations must do

Service station operators must ensure the price of a fuel in FuelCheck matches the standard price of the fuel at their service station at all times.

NSW Fair Trading says consumers who notice a price difference are “encouraged to raise this with the service station operator”.

“Consumers are able to lodge a complaint with NSW Fair Trading directly via FuelCheck regarding instances of fuel price mismatch,” it says.

“Fair Trading will review each complaint and depending on the circumstances the service station may be fined for non-compliance.Penalty notices of $550 can be issued for each offence.”