Mon-Fri 9AM to 9PM (AEST)If you enjoy a consistent supply of natural gas in your home, then you have Australia’s gas distributors to thank! Together with the gas generators and retailers, they are responsible for getting gas to wherever it’s needed, all around the country.
Natural gas is drilled from gas fields in several sites in the Gippsland, Otway, Cooper, Bass and Surat-Bowen basins, the Carnarvon and Perth basins and the Bonaparte basin. It is then refined to remove certain elements before it is shipped around the country, and that’s where the gas distributors come in.
What is the role of a gas distributor?
The distributor is responsible for the transport and infrastructure needed to transport natural gas from the generator around the country.Â
This involves building and maintaining gas pipelines, or transmission pipelines, that transport gas over long distances, with maximum efficiency and minimal loss. This means using wide pipes that operate under high pressure to increase capacity.
The transmission lines in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania are interconnected, creating the national grid.Â
There are points along the pipelines, or gate stations, where gas is moved from the high-pressure lines into medium and low-pressure lines to be delivered to industry and households.
In addition to maintaining the grid, distributors are also responsible for new connections to homes and businesses, responding to unplanned outages, managing planned outages, addressing gas leaks and reading and maintaining gas meters.
How do I find my gas distributor?
Your gas distributor depends on where you live, although it is worth noting that in most cases, you will need to contact a retailer, who will liaise with the distributor on your behalf. This is the case for new connections and metering.
To find out who the gas distributor is in your area, take a look at the table below.
State | Region | Distributor |
Victoria | Various | |
New South Wales | Tamworth | |
Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong and parts of country NSW | ||
Wagga Wagga | ||
Queensland | Â | Australian Gas Networks |
| Â | APT Allgas | |
South Australia | All of SA | |
ACT | All of ACT | |
Tasmania | All of TAS | |
Western Australia | All of WA | |
Northern Territory | All of NT |
The gas industry is tightly regulated and each distributor must adhere to the National Gas Laws (NGL). The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) is responsible for making sure that the gas pipelines in all jurisdictions except WA and Tasmania are operated within the NGLs, reliably and cost-effectively.
In Western Australia, there are three regulated pipelines – the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline, Goldfields Gas Pipeline and Mid-West and South-West Gas Distribution System – that are monitored by the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA).Â
In Tasmania, the Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator regulates gas distribution by Tas Gas Networks.
What are the distributor charges on my gas bill?
In order to cover the costs incurred by their work, each distributor charges a fee to customers. This is calculated as a fixed daily fee to every household and business with a gas connection in their region.
To make it a more streamlined experience for customers, your retailer will pay this charge to the distributor, and pass it on to you in your bill. You will find this on your bill as the ‘supply charge’.
The supply charge is a daily fee, charged in cents per day. Even if you don’t use any gas on a particular day, you will always be charged the supply charge for the connection to your home.
If you are not sure where to find this on your bill, try EnergyAustralia’s bill guide.
Gas connection fees
As well as a daily supply charge, you may have to pay a one-off connection fee when you switch electricity and gas. The connection fee for each gas distributor is in the table below.
| State | Distributor | Gas Connection Fee* |
| VIC | Multinet | $60.25 |
| Australian Gas Networks (Metro) | $88 | |
| Australian Gas Networks (Non-Metro) | $88 | |
| Australian Gas Networks Mildura | N/A | |
| Ausnet Services | $68.95 | |
| NSW | Jemena | $102 |
| Australian Gas Networks Albury | $76 | |
| Australian Gas Networks Murray Valley | $76 | |
| Australian Gas Networks | $53.80 | |
| Central Ranges Tamworth | $101.50 | |
| QLD | Australian Gas Networks | $76 |
| APT Allgas | $77.93 | |
| SA | Australian Gas Networks | $79 |
| ACT | EvoEnergy | $137 |
| WA | ATCO Gas Australia | $141.79 |
| Tas | Tas Gas Networks | $300 |
*Fees correct at July 2022
With costs varying significantly between distributors, you are probably wondering if you can shop around and connect electricity and gas to the cheap options. Unfortunately, you cannot choose your distributor in the same way that you can choose your power supplier.
Because distributors manage the pipelines, you have to be connected to the distributor that owns the pipelines in your area. The costs vary due to the different level of work involved in transporting gas to different areas of the country.
How do I book a new gas connection?
If you are moving house, adding a new gas connection to your existing home or switching power suppliers for a cheaper deal, you will need to arrange a new gas connection.Â
There are some steps to follow to make sure your new connection goes off without a hitch.
- Install a gas meter and service line (for first-time connections only)
- Compare electricity and gas plans
- Choose your provider
- Book your connection date
- Book a disconnection date (if required)
To let us take care of all of these steps for you, call one of our experts on 1300 786 045 or enter your details online.Â
Our 100% free services do so much more than just find cheap electricity and gas. We will compare energy tariffs and bundles, recommend the best option based on your unique energy needs and make all the arrangements for you. We can even help with solar power, internet and Pay TV Australia.
We will look at deals from some of Australia’s leading suppliers of energy, compare based on your budget and energy needs and save you money!
Our gas and electricity providers include:
Remember, to compare plans for a new gas connection, you must live in a deregulated region. We can compare energy in Victoria, New South Wales, South-East Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and Tasmania.
Get cooking with gas today – call 1300 786 045 or enter your details online.
