The state's watchdog for motorists says it is concerned, as petrol prices soar to a 13-year high on average across NSW.
Maitland recorded the second highest average unleaded petrol price in the state for the week ending Monday, behind Tweed Heads South on the state's far north coast.
At an average of 164.4 cents per litre for the week, Maitland experienced a rise of more than 21 cents per litre from the previous seven day period - a jump an NRMA spokesperson said was "one of the biggest price movements we've ever seen" week-on-week.
The average price of unleaded petrol in Newcastle was 157.9 cents per litre, with a range between 136.5 cents per litre and 195.9 cents per litre across the 139 service stations in the area.
The NRMA spokesperson told the Newcastle Herald the high prices reflected a national trend and the cost to motorists at the bowser was at a 13-year high in NSW, on average, in spite of falling oil and wholesale prices.
"We haven't seen prices this high [across the state] since the lead-up to the Global Financial Crisis," he said.
"We're very concerned about prices being so high right now because unlike two or three weeks ago we are seeing global oil prices and the wholesale price of MOGAS in Australia falling.
"So there are not a lot of excuses for keeping fuel at these elevated prices."
The NRMA said last week that prices in the Hunter were expected to fall soon.
The high prices during this COVID-19 lockdown are a far cry from the cost of fuel during last year's original lockdown.
Petrol prices in the Hunter dropped below 90 cents per litre - the lowest in the region since 2005 - in May 2020.
According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum's latest report, the national average cost of petrol for consumers in the week ending Sunday was 152.1 cents per litre, while the wholesale price was 137.8 cents per litre.
The Herald reported at the weekend that service station operators were also feeling the pinch of the lockdown, with one owner saying her trade was down 40 per cent on last year.
