Melbourne motorists warned of a major petrol price hike on the way

The price for unleaded petrol in Melbourne is set to soar back above $2 per litre as drivers are being urged to fill up early.

In Melbourne, the lowest price in the market on Monday was about $1.68 per litre and the highest was $2.11. Picture: Toby Zerna

Motorists have been urged to fill up early as petrol prices across Melbourne are expected to skyrocket over the coming days.

Some petrol stations had already hiked up prices to more than two dollars per litre on Monday night.

Australasian Convenience and Petroleum Marketers Association chief executive Mark McKenzie said Melbourne was emerging from “a very long cycle”, with prices increasing from an average of $1.75 per litre for unleaded fuel.

“The lowest price in the market is still about $1.68, the highest is about $2.11, and you’ve got everything in between. You’ll actually see prices probably settle somewhere between $1.80 through to the big twos,” Mr McKenzie said.

Melbourne is emerging from a ‘very long cycle’. Picture: AFP

“Not all service stations go up at the same time. It generally takes ten to 12 days before the majority of service stations have moved up their prices.

“When you start to see this change, get in and buy at the cheaper end.”

According to fuel price website Petrol Spy, service stations in Melbourne’s north and east have already seen a spike.

The price for unleaded fuel was sitting at $2.09 per litre on Monday evening in Brunswick, Hawthorn and Kew, while one service station in Maribyrnong, in the inner northwest, recorded the highest price in metropolitan Melbourne at $2.11 per litre.