ROADS are always a hot topic in Mitchell Shire, and this time around, more data shows that Wallan and Beveridge are among the worst towns for drivers experiencing wheel and tyre-related issues.
According to the RACV, Wallan is the second-worst location in the state for Emergency Roadside Assistance callouts involving wheel and tyre-related issues.
The data was collected from July 1 to September 30 and showed that Wallan required 96 separate callouts for tyre issues.
Beveridge ranked sixth in the state with 79 callouts, just ahead of Kyneton and Ocean Grove.
Separately, the Princes Highway West between Colac and Camperdown was voted Victoria’s most dangerous regional road, and 71 per cent of survey respondents said potholes and deteriorating road surfaces were their biggest road safety concern.
The Northern Highway between Wallan and Bendigo was a major concern for drivers in the Loddon region, ranking third among roads attracting the most safety concerns.
RACV General Manager Automotive Services Makarla Cole said the data provided a snapshot of where RACV most frequently attended, inspected and assessed wheel and tyre-related damage across regional Victoria.
“Wheel and tyre-related incidents accounted for almost one in six regional roadside callouts during the quarter,” Ms Cole said.
“Several of the locations recording the highest numbers of wheel and tyre-related breakdowns are connected to road corridors highlighted by motorists through the My Country Road survey.”
According to a Victorian Auditor-General’s Office report on state roads, the defect backlog grew by 119 per cent between January 2025 and June 2026.
Mitchell Shire’s roads are deteriorating as the years go by, with 41.38 per cent of state roads in the shire rated as poor or very poor.
State roads in the Macedon Ranges are far worse, according to the report, with 61.09 per cent rated as poor or very poor.
Between July 2024 and June 2026, 229,833 defects were identified on state roads, yet only 187,529 were rectified, leaving more than 40,000 defects unresolved.