Council
4 July, 2026
End of an era with West Wimmera road maintenance
TUESDAY marked the end of a remarkable chapter in West Wimmera’s history, with West Wimmera Shire Council officially concluding its long-standing role in maintaining Victoria’s arterial road network on behalf of the State Government.
From July 1, responsibility for maintaining Department of Transport and Planning managed arterial roads within West Wimmera Shire has been transferred to the department and its contractors under the Victorian Road Maintenance Contract arrangements.
WWSC had expressed its willingness to continue delivering these services on behalf of the State Government – however following changes to the Victorian Road Maintenance Contract model, the State Government elected to transition the maintenance of these roads to its own contractors.
While the organisation delivering the work will change, the roads will continue to be maintained in accordance with Victoria’s Road Management Act.
WWSC mayor Tim Meyer said the change marked the conclusion of one of Victoria’s longest-running partnerships between local government and the State Government.
Dating back to the establishment of the Country Roads Board in 1913, successive state road authorities have partnered with rural councils to maintain Victoria’s arterial road network.
That relationship continued through the Road Construction Authority, VicRoads and, most recently, the Department of Transport and Planning, making it one of the state’s longest-standing examples of collaboration between state government and local government.
“For generations, our Council has proudly maintained many of the state’s major arterial roads on behalf of the Victorian Government,” Cr Meyer said.
“It is a partnership that has endured in various forms for more than a century and has played an important role in connecting our communities.
“Thousands of kilometres have been graded, resurfaced, patched and rebuilt by dedicated Council employees over the decades.
“Many of our staff have spent entire careers caring for these roads, often responding around the clock to storms, floods and emergencies to keep communities connected.
“Today marks the end of an historic chapter, and it is fitting to recognise the generations of Council employees whose skill, dedication and commitment have helped keep these roads safe for residents, visitors and the freight industry.”
Since its formation in 1995, West Wimmera Shire Council continued the legacy, building on the work of its predecessor municipalities and the many Council employees who maintained Victoria’s arterial roads under contract arrangements with and on behalf of successive state road authorities.
Cr Meyer thanked current and former Council employees whose professionalism and commitment had helped keep the region’s arterial road network operating safely for generations.
“Our staff have always taken enormous pride in maintaining these roads, often under challenging conditions and with limited resources,” he said.
“As funding available for routine maintenance has become increasingly constrained over many years, it has become more difficult to achieve the standard of road condition that both Council and our community expect.
“The condition of many state-managed arterial roads should not be seen as a reflection of the dedication or quality of work performed by our crews. Rather, it reflects the challenge of maintaining an ageing and heavily used road network within the funding provided.
“Council firmly believed the long-standing partnership with the state could continue to deliver excellent outcomes for our communities.
“We were willing to continue undertaking this work and are disappointed that this opportunity will no longer exist.
“One of the greatest strengths of the previous arrangement was that local people maintained local roads.
“Our crews knew the network, understood its history and could respond quickly to storms, flooding, road failures and other emergencies.
“We are concerned that the loss of locally-based maintenance crews and their knowledge of our road network may impact the responsiveness and efficiency of future maintenance activities.
“We sincerely hope the new arrangements are successful and that our communities continue to receive the level of service they deserve.
“While our role in maintaining the state’s arterial roads comes to an end today, Council remains committed to delivering a high standard of service across the extensive network of Council-controlled roads that connect our communities every day.”
WWSC residents should now contact the Department of Transport and Planning directly regarding issues on state-managed arterial roads.
For urgent hazards requiring immediate attention (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), people can call 13 11 70.
Examples include:
• Large potholes, road washouts or pavement failures that create an immediate safety risk
• Fallen trees, large branches or other debris blocking the roadway
• Flooding or water flowing across the road making travel unsafe
• Damaged guardrails, bridges or culverts that present an immediate danger