Roads across Mitchell Shire and regional Victoria, particularly north of Melbourne, are coming under increasing scrutiny as deteriorating conditions and a growing number of potholes continue to frustrate motorists and raise safety concerns.
As winter takes hold and heavy rainfall impacts the region, dangerous sections of road have become a frequent topic of discussion across Facebook groups, in parliament and at council meetings. Residents say the worsening conditions are making everyday travel increasingly hazardous.
Potholes, which have become more widespread than ever, have caused hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of damage to cars, rims, tyres and other vehicles, leaving many community members to foot repair bills worth hundreds of dollars during an already challenging cost-of-living crisis.
Beyond vehicle damage, residents say deteriorating road conditions are becoming a safety concern as motorists brake suddenly or swerve around potholes, while motorcyclists remain particularly vulnerable.
Heavy rainfall has highlighted concerns about the lack of proactive maintenance by councils and the state government, with residents arguing roadsides and drains are not being adequately maintained to prevent water pooling and creating dangerous driving conditions.
Concerns have also been raised by state MPs, who say regional roads have reached their worst condition in years.
“I tell you, sometimes you mightn’t realise in Melbourne how rooted the roads are, and I reckon that’s because the government has no money to fix them,” Member for Berwick Brad Battin said.
“The potholes, when people from regional areas tell you that they are like craters, they’re not lying.”
Member for Northern Victoria Annabelle Cleeland also posted to social media after receiving reports of major pothole damage to several cars on the Hume Highway near the Tallarook exit.
She later updated her social media, arguing the roads had never been worse.
“I’m going to be completely frank. Regional roads are in the worst condition I’ve ever seen,” she said.
She claimed that within the week of the major rain event, her office received close to 100 reports from people across the community about damage to their vehicles because of poor road conditions and potholes.
“The people paying the price are hardworking regional Victorians,” she said.
Many residents say road conditions continue to deteriorate and are calling on the state government, councils and VicRoads to take a more proactive approach to road maintenance rather than reacting once damage has already occurred.
During last week’s heavy rainfall, streets in Broadford were flooded, creating hazardous conditions for motorists and pedestrians.
Residents say routine maintenance, such as clearing drains to allow water to flow freely instead of pooling on roads, could help reduce some of these issues.
Complaints about a pothole on Kilmore-Lancefield Road have been circulating for months. The pothole is almost three metres long and can fill with water, making it almost invisible to motorists during wet weather.
Potholes have also appeared throughout the main street of Kilmore, forcing motorists to swerve around them to avoid damaging their vehicles.
Ally, a Mitchell Shire local, contacted the Review about the condition of the road between Kilmore and Tooborac.
“While driving home from work in Kilmore, I hit one of the many potholes on the highway. The impact was significant and highlights the poor state of the road. Another vehicle hit the same pothole shortly after and sustained major damage, requiring it to be towed from the scene.”
Another member of the community explained that even when vehicles are not damaged, the condition of the roads creates anxiety.
“All drivers on those roads, including me, are affected even if they don’t incur any damage. It is a great cause of anxiety for me every time I drive my car from Seymour.”
The Review contacted the State Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Ros Spence, but did not receive direct comment.
Instead, a government spokesperson provided the following statements.
“Over the past two years we have invested nearly $2 billion — the largest investment in Victoria’s history — to rebuild and repair the roads that people depend on every single day, with 70 per cent of that funding directed to regional Victoria,” they said.
“This is the biggest roads blitz in the state’s history. We’re fixing more potholes than last year and delivering more complex rebuilding and rehabilitation works to strengthen roads for the long term.”
The Department of Transport and Planning is currently finalising a program of works as part of the Victorian Budget 2026/27 investment of $1.04 billion towards road maintenance.
New technology and reforms are allowing road maintenance to be delivered more efficiently, with the government now having access to more data about the condition of Victoria’s roads than ever before.
The Mitchell Shire Acting CEO Les Stokes said their team are prioritising potholes after the significant rainfall.
“Following the recent rainfall, our crews are prioritising pothole repairs across the municipality, focusing first on locations where safety and access may be affected.” Mr Stokes said.
“Council has received 532 pothole complaints so far this year, and our teams are working hard to respond to each one as quickly and safely as possible.”
“We undertake both scheduled and reactive inspections across our road network, with scheduled inspections occurring every six months on Link Roads and Collector Roads, both sealed and unsealed, as well as Access Roads that are formed and sealed. Access Roads that are formed and unsealed are inspected every 12 months.”
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell was animated in parliament when discussing the need to remove significant volumes of traffic from Kilmore through the long-awaited Kilmore Bypass, which Mitchell Shire Council has long advocated for.
“Kilmore cannot continue to grow with yesterday’s road network,” he said.
Large volumes of traffic using the bypass would help reduce pressure on the town’s road network, including the main street, where potholes have become a consistent issue.
Community members are urged to report potholes through VicRoads or the Snap Send Solve platform so the agency responsible for the road can fix them.
As winter continues and more rain is forecast, residents say they will be watching closely to see whether long-promised investment translates into safer roads.