Get the best priced fuel this Australia Day long weekend
The long weekend is the perfect time to head into the regions and explore our beautiful state, and with cost-of-living pressures front of mind, the Malinauskas Government is urging motorists to make sure they are getting the best price at the pump via real-time petrol price monitoring.
According to the RAA, real-time petrol price monitoring is estimated to have saved South Australian motorists $342 per year on average.
Under the fuel pricing information scheme, fuel retailers are required to report their prices to a central database within 30 minutes of changing the price at the pump.
Drivers can then access free fuel price information via fuel price apps including Petrol Spy, Motor Mouth, the RAA app, SA Bowser: Should I Fuel?, Fuel Price Australia, ServoTrack and Pumped, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
Consumer and Business Services (CBS) inspectors regularly target service stations including in popular tourism destinations to ensure compliance.
Petrol station operators face penalties of $649 ($550 plus $99 Victim of Crime levy) – or fines in court of up to $10,000 – especially if they have ignored previous warnings.
CBS has received nearly 1700 complaints, conducted more than 2450 inspections and issued 318 warnings and 34 expiations totalling more than $22,000 in fines and levies since the scheme’s introduction.
Petrol Spy tags Riverland as the cheapest place for fuel
Fuel Spy prices (as at 2pm, January 25), showed some interesting findings on the best fuel prices South Australia-wide. While the preconception may be to fill up in the suburbs before venturing to the regions, it seem’s that isn’t necessarily the case.
The Riverland towns of Berri, Barmera and Glossop are currently offering the cheapest fuel prices in the State, with ULP reported on Fuel Spy at 167.9c/L, while Diesel is sitting at 175.9. The best price in Adelaide for ULP is 174.5 and 179.5 for Diesel.
Travellers heading North will no doubt be queuing at the popular Port Wakefield pumps, but when you throw in a can of Coke and a pie, you could be better offer filling up further up the road. In fact, on the Southern Yorke Peninsula, Port Clinton is offering ULP for 177.9c – a saving of around $2.50 per fill NOT including the alluring smell of the high-priced Pie!
Other fuel stops noted for competitive pricing on the App included Strathalbyn, Ceduna, Murray Bridge, Burra and Peterborough – which really does pose a question when you consider where the fuel comes from.
RAA Fuel Expert, Mark Borlace, said if you’re heading away this weekend, check the RAA app for fuel prices near you versus your destination to help you decide where to fill up the tank.
“The real time fuel pricing feature on the RAA app was accessed almost 3 million times in 2023 – highlighting how many South Aussies are willing to shop around to save money at the pump.
A survey of RAA members showed people using the real time fuel pricing feature in the RAA app save around $28.50 per month or $342 per year on average.
With 70,000 users accessing RAA’s real-time fuel pricing app per month on average – our research shows an estimated average community saving of around $24 million per year.”
And if the price at the pump doesn’t match the price on the app, consumers are being encouraged to report it to CBS, which you can do by clicking here.
