The survey, conducted on Tuesday by 28 Rural Press newspapers (including the Examiner), sought to compare the lowest price for standard unleaded petrol on that day.

In Glen Innes, this was 124.5 cents, at independent outlet Moons on Meade, in Meade St. The average was 132.4c, with the dearest unleaded in town on Tuesday being 137.9c at the card-only Mobil service station in Church St.

Nationally, the top price was 142.9c/l in Esperance Western Australia, and the cheapest, 116c at Maitland, NSW. The national average cheapest price of the 28 centres that participated was 128.7c.

Of the 18 service stations in NSW, the average cheapest price was 127.1c, topping at 137.9c at Jindabyne.

Amongst centres participating, the cheapest fuel at Armidale on Tuesday was 121.9c, 121.9c at Moree, and 133.9c at Gloucester.

According to data produced for the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the bowser price for unleaded fell to 126c on Monday, down 10c from the week before. The average NSW regional price was 131.8c, down 6.2 cents.

"Pump prices are expected to fall by at least 10 cents a litre in the next fortnight following on from falls in wholesale prices," Commsec market analyst Craig James said.