Same road. Now hitch the van.
Eight real routes planned twice, side by side: the car alone, and the car towing a 3.2-tonne off-road caravan. What the wind costs, what filling everywhere would have cost, and what FuelOracle saved.
Sydney, NSW to Darwin, NT, 4,523 km. 16 fuel stops towing, 7 solo. FuelOracle saves $50.70 against filling up everywhere.
- 110 kmPEARL ENERGY MORISSET69 L at 238.5¢$164.56
- 904 kmLiberty Annerley75 L at 238.5¢$178.87
- 1,734 kmMetro Petroleum Blackwater75 L at 252.9¢$189.67
- 2,226 kmAmpol Longreach38 L at 267.9¢ · Everyday Rewards −4¢$101.80
- 2,871 kmSolo Mount Isa75 L at 252.5¢$189.38
- 3,534 kmRefuel Australia Tennant Creek45 L at 269.8¢ · Everyday Rewards −4¢$121.41
- 4,207 kmBP Katherine29 L at 253.2¢$73.43
- 0 kmFill to full62 L at 254.9¢$158.80
- 840 kmFill to full76 L at 245.5¢$185.52
- 908 kmFill to full6 L at 265.9¢$16.37
- 1,539 kmFill to full57 L at 253.9¢$143.88
- 2,231 kmFill to full68 L at 270.4¢$184.94
- 2,873 kmFill to full63 L at 268.9¢$170.61
- 3,534 kmFill to full60 L at 275.9¢$165.36
- 4,208 kmFill to full59 L at 253.9¢$149.70
- 23 kmMetro Ourimbah42 L at 249.9¢$104.96
- 266 kmMobil Coolongolook75 L at 239.5¢$179.62
- 625 kmShell Tyndale (24/7 unmanned fuel)52 L at 251.9¢$130.99
- 891 kmOOM Energy Underwood75 L at 238.5¢$178.87
- 1,242 kmBooyal Roadhouse16 L at 244.9¢$39.18
- 1,352 kmColosseum Creek Motel & Roadhouse75 L at 241.7¢$181.27
- 1,715 kmLiberty Bluff71 L at 252.5¢$179.28
- 1,977 kmIndependent Alpha Gateway34 L at 268.9¢$91.43
- 2,226 kmAmpol Longreach73 L at 267.9¢ · Everyday Rewards −4¢$195.57
- 2,569 kmAmpol Kynuna Roadhouse65 L at 266.9¢ · Everyday Rewards −4¢$173.49
- 2,871 kmSolo Mount Isa75 L at 252.5¢$189.38
- 3,063 kmCaltex Camooweal38 L at 287.9¢ · Everyday Rewards −4¢$109.40
- 3,323 kmBarkly Homestead19 L at 289.0¢$54.91
- 3,534 kmRefuel Australia Tennant Creek75 L at 269.8¢ · Everyday Rewards −4¢$202.35
- 3,889 kmDUNMARRA WAYSIDE INN62 L at 272.0¢$168.64
- 4,207 kmBP Katherine63 L at 253.2¢$159.52
- 0 kmFill to full62 L at 254.9¢$158.80
- 372 kmFill to full75 L at 243.0¢$183.31
- 745 kmFill to full76 L at 265.8¢$201.05
- 908 kmFill to full33 L at 265.9¢$88.12
- 1,271 kmFill to full71 L at 255.9¢$181.53
- 1,539 kmFill to full52 L at 253.9¢$132.78
- 1,853 kmFill to full67 L at 259.9¢$173.40
- 2,119 kmFill to full57 L at 258.9¢$146.32
- 2,403 kmFill to full60 L at 270.8¢$163.41
- 2,752 kmFill to full74 L at 267.3¢$198.21
- 2,873 kmFill to full26 L at 268.9¢$69.11
- 3,063 kmFill to full37 L at 283.9¢$106.11
- 3,323 kmFill to full51 L at 289.0¢$147.81
- 3,534 kmFill to full42 L at 275.9¢$114.52
- 3,889 kmFill to full72 L at 272.0¢$194.82
- 4,208 kmFill to full64 L at 253.9¢$163.19
| Leg | Span | Wind | Altitude | L/100 km towing | Burn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0-23 km | +5% against | -1% | 20.3 | 5 L |
| 2 | 23-266 km | +5% against | -1% | 20.3 | 49 L |
| 3 | 266-625 km | +5% against | -1% | 20.3 | 73 L |
| 4 | 625-891 km | +5% against | -1% | 20.3 | 54 L |
| 5 | 891-1,242 km | +1% light | -0% | 19.6 | 69 L |
| 6 | 1,242-1,352 km | +1% light | -0% | 19.6 | 22 L |
| 7 | 1,352-1,715 km | -0% light | +5% | 20.4 | 74 L |
| 8 | 1,715-1,977 km | -1% light | +10% | 21.3 | 56 L |
| 9 | 1,977-2,226 km | -1% light | +10% | 21.3 | 53 L |
| 10 | 2,226-2,569 km | -1% light | +10% | 21.3 | 73 L |
| 11 | 2,569-2,871 km | -1% light | +10% | 21.3 | 64 L |
| 12 | 2,871-3,063 km | +0% light | +1% | 19.8 | 38 L |
| 13 | 3,063-3,323 km | +0% light | +1% | 19.7 | 51 L |
| 14 | 3,323-3,534 km | +0% light | +1% | 19.7 | 42 L |
| 15 | 3,534-3,889 km | +8% against | -4% | 20.2 | 72 L |
| 16 | 3,889-4,207 km | +8% against | -4% | 20.2 | 64 L |
| 17 | 4,207-4,523 km | +8% against | -4% | 20.2 | to destination |
Questions people ask about this run
How much does fuel cost from Sydney to Darwin towing a caravan?
About $2,338.85 for a Defender 110 towing a 3.2-tonne off-road caravan, planned against the official prices and the wind forecast on 4 September 2026: 910 L over 4,523 km at roughly 20.4 L/100 km.
How many fuel stops from Sydney to Darwin?
16 towing and 7 solo on this plan, with an 89 L tank starting a quarter full. The longest run between stops towing is 363 km.
Does the wind matter on Sydney-Darwin via Brisbane?
On 10 September it cost the caravan run $44.03 (+17.1 L). FuelOracle checks the forecast wind on each leg for the day you leave, so the same road can price differently on a different day.
What would filling up at every servo cost on this run?
$2,422.48 towing. FuelOracle's plan saves $50.70 by choosing where to fill and how much to buy, not by driving further or filling less than it needs.
Fuel burn is modelled for this rig: the van behind it, the speed it holds, the climbs and the wind on every leg. The model is checked against the rig’s real fill-ups and tuned over time. Old-school is the same driver with no planning: fill to full at every stop, and whenever the next servo is out of reach.
These plans were generated once, on a fixed date, to show how FuelOracle helps you plan better and save time and money. Prices, opening hours and wind have all changed since, and every price and saving shown is a guide, not a guarantee. Do not use them to plan a real trip: plan your own and FuelOracle will plan it on today's prices and forecast.
Example plans use official state fuel price feeds and Open-Meteo wind forecasts, captured once on 4 September 2026. Coastline from Natural Earth. FuelOracle is an independent app and does not represent a government entity.