Newcastle, Maitland and the Central Coast were in the list of top five places with the cheapest average unleaded petrol price in NSW for the past week, but the NRMA says global conditions mean prices should be lower across the board.
Tweed Heads South took out the top spot, according to NRMA price data for the week ending March 15.
Maitland and Singleton were among those with the biggest price drops from the previous week, with Maitland's average regular unleaded price falling by 9.3 cents per litre to 124.4 cents per litre and Singleton's plummeting by 9.8 cents per litre to 132.8 cents per litre.
These changes were well above the 3 cents per litre average price decrease across regional NSW.
Regular unleaded could be found on Thursday afternoon for as little as 115.9 cents per litre in the valley - at East Maitland and Green Hills - and 117.9 cents per litre in Newcastle - at Islington and Adamstown.
The NRMA's report said motorists could see a 10 to 15 cents per litre fall in the cost of unleaded and diesel fuel across Australia in the next two to four weeks.
It said global oil prices were the lowest since December, 2008 - in part because of "heightened fears that the COVID-19 virus will slow economic growth and therefore demand for energy products" as well as the spreading of coronavirus through more than 140 nations.
"As a result most central banks have reduced interest rates and governments are now putting in place stimulus packages to address the economic slowdown," the report noted.
The average crude oil price dropped by 14.4 cents per litre in the past week.
NRMA is criticising petrol station operators for not passing on the full benefit to motorists - particularly in regional areas - despite the "dramatic and sustained falls in oil prices".
"It's not clear whether the oil companies thought the NRMA and the community would not notice what is going on at the bowser but what is clear is that the public is in no mood for this rubbish - petrol prices must fall immediately," NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said.
"Sydney's wholesale price is now at $1 a litre for the first time in four years and the average is almost $1.40 a litre for regular unleaded. Almost one-in-three service stations are currently charging fuel at 60 cents per litre higher than the wholesale price.
"That Australians are doing it tough right now is an under-statement of global proportions. The one place families should be able to look to for some budget relief is at the bowser because there is lots of fuel on the market and it should be very cheap.
"The NRMA could not be more blunt about this today - oil companies must drop their prices now."
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