Baw Baw Shire Council has endorsed the Road Management Plan (2025-2029), including the Register of Public Roads Policy and Procedure, Register of Public Roads and Footpath Register, at Wednesday's Council Meeting.
Council's Road Management Plan is reviewed every four years and sets out how Council manage and repair the local road network to ensure it is safe and accessible.
Service standards specified in the Road Management Plan apply to all roads included in Council's Register of Public Roads and all paths included in the Register of Paths.
As the coordinating road authority for all Council managed roads, Baw Baw Shire Council has a statutory obligation to inspect, maintain and repair these roads.
In July this year, the broader community was invited to have their say on the draft plan as part of a community consultation.
During this time, a petition was also circulated in the community and presented to Council at the 27 August Council Meeting, which resulted in 41 submissions relating to the proposed removal of two sections of Walhalla Road and their impact on the Register of Public Roads.
Councillors acknowledged community feedback around the proposed changes to the service standards of Walhalla Road and noted the response to the petition presented to Council in August.
Mayor, Councillor Danny Goss used his casting vote to vote in favour of an alternate motion presented by Councillor Paul Pratt to adopt the Register of Public Roads in accordance with the Register of Public Roads Policy and Procedure, noting the removal of Walhalla Road as a Limited Access/Major Track.
The alternate motion stated the road did not meet Council policy criteria for inclusion on the Register of Public Roads, being predominantly used for recreational purposes and recommended that Council support officers to continue to advocate for DEECA to assume the maintenance responsibility of the removed sections of Walhalla Road.
Councillor Danny Goss voted for the alternate motion, noting that the sections of Walhalla Road in question are a State Government responsibility and Council money would be repurposed to support other local roads.
"These sections of road are used primarily for recreational purposes and do not provide access to rate payer properties, removing these from the Register of Public Roads is in line with Council's responsibility for sustainable asset management and long-term financial sustainability," explains Councillor Goss.
The plan can be viewed on Council's website at Road Management Plan
