The Advocate reported in January that cash-strapped motorists in Daylesford were paying up to 30 cents a litre more for fuel than their Melbourne counterparts.

During the past week, The Advocate recorded significant price differences between Daylesford and Ballarat.

On the same day from the same company, Daylesford motorists were being charged 126.9 cents for unleaded and 136.9 for diesel, compared to Ballarat, with 117.9 for unleaded and 119.9 for diesel.

Darren Collinson said local supermarket prices were also higher than in Ballarat, meaning families often did their fuel top-ups and shopping out of Daylesford.

He has done the sums and said if 10 Daylesford families went elsewhere to buy fuel and groceries each week at $70 for fuel, $200 for groceries and $20 for snacks, that alone would lead to a $145,000 financial loss for the township and the region per annum.

“Five cents I can understand, but sometimes it’s 25, 30 or 49 cents a litre difference,” Mr Collinson said.

“People take their fuel and groceries out of town and they buy a cup of coffee and their meat – then that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars going out of the town. It’s economic damage.”

Mr Collinson said he did not understand why Ballarat and Daylesford varied so much, considering fuel was delivered to both districts on the same run.

Viva Energy, which manages Shell Coles Express downstream business, said it was the wholesaler and did not set retail prices.

The Australian Institute of Petroleum states retail or pump prices reflect local area factors and competition, and also reflects the cost of getting the fuel from the refinery or terminal to the bowser. 

The institute also states prices reflect transport and service station costs including wages, rent and utilities, with the ability to cover costs depending on “local area competition”.