Tuesday 31 March 2026
Fuel shortage: which states have the worst outages and what to do now
Hundreds of petrol stations across Australia are reporting fuel outages — particularly diesel — as demand surges ahead of the excise cut. Here's what the live data shows by state and what drivers should do.
What's happening
Australia is experiencing a surge in fuel demand following the federal government's announcement that the fuel excise will be halved from today. Motorists are rushing to fill up — and in some cases to store extra fuel — which has left hundreds of petrol stations temporarily out of stock, particularly for diesel. Energy Minister Chris Bowen confirmed the scale of the shortages on March 31, releasing state-by-state figures from government fuel reporting systems.
Which states are worst affected
New South Wales has the highest number of affected stations, with diesel the most commonly unavailable fuel type. Queensland and Victoria also have significant numbers of outages, concentrated in diesel and premium diesel. South Australia and Western Australia are experiencing shortages on a smaller scale. According to government data released on March 31: NSW has around 247 stations without diesel; Queensland 77 without diesel and 39 without regular unleaded; Victoria 82 without diesel and 40 without unleaded; WA 18 and 14 respectively; SA 20 and 13.
Why diesel is the hardest hit
Diesel demand has surged disproportionately because of its use by tradies, fleet operators, and farmers — groups who responded fastest to the excise announcement by topping up vehicles and auxiliary tanks. Diesel also has a longer supply lead time than unleaded, as it is typically delivered to stations on a less frequent cycle. The combination of a demand spike and lower replenishment frequency makes diesel stations more vulnerable to running dry than unleaded sites.
What drivers should do
If you need diesel urgently, check the PetrolPulse fuel outage map before heading out — it shows which stations are currently reporting shortages by state. For unleaded drivers, outages are concentrated in fewer areas and the situation is less acute. Avoid hoarding: storing petrol in unapproved containers is illegal in most states and contributes to the shortage for other drivers. Supplies are expected to normalise within days as delivery schedules catch up with demand.
Track live outages on the map
PetrolPulse's fuel outage tracker pulls data continuously from state government fuel reporting schemes across Australia. The map shows affected stations by state and fuel type, updated as reports come in. Check the tracker for the latest picture in your area.
Check your city's current forecast to see whether now is the right time to fill up.