Sydney to Brisbane, Melbourne to Adelaide: what road trips actually cost in fuel

Planning a road trip and wondering how much fuel will actually set you back? We calculated the fuel cost for five of Australia's most popular driving routes — for both petrol and electric vehicles. The numbers include real fuel prices, highway consumption rates (which are higher than city driving), and the cheapest stopping points along each route.

The assumptions

All costs are one-way. Petrol car: mid-size sedan (Toyota Camry or similar), 9.5 L/100 km highway consumption, U91 at $1.90/L. EV: mid-size (Tesla Model 3 or similar), 17 kWh/100 km highway consumption, public fast charging at an average of 50c/kWh. Highway driving uses more energy than city driving for both petrol and electric — we use highway-specific figures throughout.

Route 1: Sydney to Brisbane (920 km via Pacific Motorway)

Cheapest fuel stops: Fill up in south-western Sydney (Liverpool, Campbelltown) before hitting the motorway — prices are typically 8 to 12 cents cheaper than motorway service centres. Along the route, Coffs Harbour and Grafton tend to be cheaper than Newcastle or Byron Bay. Avoid filling up at Ballina or Gold Coast highway exits where tourist markups apply.

EV charging stops: Chargefox stations at Ourimbah (Newcastle area), Coffs Harbour, and Ballina. Tesla Superchargers at Raymond Terrace, Port Macquarie, and Coffs Harbour. Plan for 2 to 3 charging stops of 20 to 30 minutes each.

Route 2: Melbourne to Adelaide (730 km via Western Freeway)

Cheapest fuel stops: Fill up in Melbourne's western suburbs (Werribee, Melton) before departing. Ballarat offers competitive prices mid-route. Avoid the small towns between Horsham and the SA border where options are limited and prices are 15 to 25 cents above city averages.

Route 3: Sydney to Melbourne (880 km via Hume Highway)

Cheapest fuel stops: Goulburn and Albury typically have the best prices along the Hume. Avoid Mittagong and Yass motorway service centres. If you are stopping at Albury-Wodonga, cross to the Victorian side (Wodonga) where prices tend to be 2 to 4 cents lower.

Route 4: Brisbane to Cairns (1,700 km via Bruce Highway)

Note on EVs: This is one of Australia's longest highway drives. EV charging infrastructure along the Bruce Highway is improving but still has gaps north of Mackay. Plan your charging stops carefully and check current charger availability before departing. For petrol, Rockhampton and Mackay tend to have the cheapest prices along the route.

Route 5: Perth to Margaret River (270 km)

Cheapest fuel stops: Fill up in Perth before departing — WA's FuelWatch system publishes next-day prices the afternoon before, so check the night before your trip. Bunbury has competitive prices about halfway through. Margaret River itself tends to be 5 to 8 cents more expensive than Perth.

Highway fuel-saving tips

• Fill up before you leave the city. Metro prices are almost always cheaper than regional and motorway prices.
• Check prices the night before using the Helira fuel finder. Know your cheapest departure-area station.
• Drive at 100 km/h, not 110. The 10 km/h difference increases fuel consumption by roughly 10 to 15% due to aerodynamic drag. On a 900 km trip, that is $15 to $25 extra.
• Avoid filling up at motorway service centres. Exit into a nearby town — even 1 km off the highway, prices are typically 10 to 15 cents per litre lower.
• For EVs, pre-condition the battery before fast charging (most EVs do this automatically when you set the charger as a navigation destination). A warm battery charges faster and saves you time.