May 25th, 2026GBAC calls for urgent country roads and bridges funding ahead of state election
The Greater Ballarat Alliance of Councils (GBAC) today launched its state election advocacy platform, calling on the Victorian Government to reinstate a long-term Country Roads and Bridges Program for regional Victoria.
GBAC said the program is needed to address growing pressure on council-managed road and bridge networks across western Victoria, where ageing infrastructure, rising freight demand and constrained funding are impacting safety, productivity and economic growth.
The launch was held at Bridge 5 on Avoca–Bealiba Road in Pyrenees Shire – a clear example of the infrastructure challenge being experienced across all six GBAC member councils.
“Bridge 5 reflects a wider issue across regional Victoria that GBAC is highlighting through its state election advocacy,” said GBAC Chair Cr Tracey Hargreaves.
“We are calling for a reinstated long-term Country Roads and Bridges Program that recognises the essential role council-managed networks play in freight, agriculture and connectivity across the state. Across GBAC councils, roads and bridges are under increasing pressure, with funding not keeping pace with need,” she said.
Bridge 5 on Avoca–Bealiba Road was built in 1942 and is currently load-limited to 45-tonnes, restricting access for heavy agricultural and freight vehicles.
This restriction forces heavy vehicles to take a 19-kilometre route compared to the direct 8.8 kilometre route along Avoca–Bealiba Road, increasing travel time, transport costs and inefficiencies for local industry.
It affects nearby businesses and agricultural producers such as Pyrenees Hay and Howell Livestock Transport, which face longer travel times, higher costs and reduced efficiency in moving goods.
Pyrenees Shire Council estimates it would cost $4 million to restore Bridge 5 to full load capacity and improve safety and connectivity.
Councils are responsible for a significant proportion of Victoria’s road network, yet current funding arrangements remain heavily concentrated on state-managed roads, leaving local governments to maintain extensive and essential infrastructure networks with limited resources.
In the lead up to the Victorian State election in November, GBAC is calling for the reinstatement of a long-term Country Roads and Bridges Program, alongside a broader package of state election advocacy priorities aimed at supporting regional growth, infrastructure delivery and local government capacity across western Victoria.
