Residents call for budget funds to seal link road

Residents and business owners in Mirboo-Yarragon Rd, Allambee have pleaded with Baw Baw Shire Council to seal their road.

Four property owners presented to a special council meeting held recently to hear submissions on council’s draft 2019-20 budget.

A video showing the deteriorated unsealed surface of the road, including potholes and corrugations, was presented by one of the residents.

Council was told the Mirboo-Yarragon Rd was the last remaining unsealed collector road in the shire.

Councillors heard the road was a major link between Yarragon and Mirboo North that was used by school buses attending the Allambee camp, cattle trucks, feed trucks and delivery trucks.

Imelda and Roman Cathomen, who own and operate the Allambee Camp, said residents usually started complaining about the road before Christmas and then it was graded by May.

But, Imelda said, since the road was graded last month, it had already deteriorated.

“When we complain anyone that looks at it says yes it’s in poor condition but they can’t do anything because it doesn’t meet intervention levels.

She urged council to look at the road maintenance contract so their road could be graded twice a year like it used to be under the previous contract.

Ms Cathomen said the intervention levels written into the contract were too high.

She said corrugations on a collector road had to be 75mm deep and over a 250 metre stretch of road.

“We never meet the intervention criteria and that’s why we have to wait so long.

Ian Cornthwaite said he was a fifth-generation resident of Allambee where they ran a farm, wholesale production nursery and a holiday house.

He said the Mirboo-Yarragon Rd was an important link road but it was unsealed and in an unsatisfactory state with corrugations, potholes and rough conditions.

Mr Cornthwaite said the road was dangerous, damaging to vehicles and was difficult to navigate, particularly for smaller vehicles.

Mr Cornthwaite urged council to advocate for the full 9.5 kilometre unsealed section of Mirboo-Yarragon Rd to be sealed within the next three years.

In the interim, he said the proper maintenance program should be adhered to.

Anthony Wrobel said council told residents last year it was not a case of if, but when, the road would be sealed.

He said the road was recently resheeted before 170mm of rain and since then, the surface had already deteriorated. “The road is starting to breakdown already. “What has happened since last year and what is the way forward with sealing this road,” he said.

After considering community submissions, council will receive a further report and draft budget for consideration at its next meeting on June 27.