Melbourne petrol prices predicted to stay low at Easter

PETROL prices in Melbourne are predicted to ease — not spike — in the lead-up to Easter, with analysis revealing the cheapest and costliest suburbs to buy fuel.

The cheapest and costliest suburbs to buy petrol in Melbourne have been revealed.

THE cheapest and costliest suburbs to buy petrol in Melbourne have been revealed.

Greensborough and Ivanhoe drivers copped the nation’s priciest average unleaded fuel for a capital city “sub ­region” over the past three months, analysis shows.

Frankston/Cranbourne, Dandenong, Essendon North/Tullamarine and Moorabbin had the lowest average fuel prices in Melbourne.

Greensborough/Ivanhoe, the inner city/South Melbourne, Croydon/Mitcham and Hawthorn had the highest average hip-pocket hits for January 10 to April 9, says the comparethemarket.com.au ­research. Prices across the metropolitan area averaged 129.8c a litre in that time.

The analysis of Motormouth data, covering most petrol stations, comes amid predictions Melbourne’s average fuel price should ease, not spike, in the Easter lead-up.

“The average price for petrol across Melbourne should continue to decrease as we head into the long weekend, so motorists should delay filling up,” said comparethemarket spokeswoman Abigail Koch.

“The price last peaked in mid-March and price cycles for Melbourne now typically last more than a month, so it ­appears there is room for the cycle to continue to trend downwards,” she said.

Prices for unleaded fuel on Tuesday afternoon ranged from a low of 116.9c a litre at some Hampton and East Bentleigh outlets to 132c a litre at one in Craigieburn — an extra $9 to fill a 60-litre tank.

“It is really important that people shop around before they fill up,” Ms Koch said.

For the quarter, motorists paid an average of around 127c per litre in Melbourne’s cheapest ­regions, and were slugged an average of just over 130c per litre in the costliest suburbs.

Ms Koch said drivers were likely to pay the lowest prices in suburbs with the most competition. “If an area has a higher number of supermarket or independent operators, they tend to offer more or longer-lasting discounts,” she said.

CommSec chief economist Craig James said recent rises in the Singapore gasoline price and local wholesale price would filter through to pump prices in coming weeks.

THREE-MONTH PETROL PRICE AVERAGES

Lowest

Frankston/Cranbourne 126.1c per litre

Dandenong 127.3c

Essendon North/Tullamarine 127.9c

Moorabbin 127.9c

Preston/Bundoora 128.2c

Mulgrave 128.3c

Carlton 128.4c

Vermont 128.5c

Altona/Williamstown 128.6c

Essendon 128.7c

Footscray 128.7c

Highest

Greensborough/Ivanhoe 131.6c

City/South Melbourne 130.4c

Croydon/Mitcham 129.2c

Hawthorn 129.1c

Oakleigh/Camberwell 128.9c

Doncaster/Box Hill 128.9c