Northern Grampians Shire Council will complete significant safety upgrades on two key freight routes after securing $4.26 million from the Federal Government's 2026/27 Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP).
Mayor Karen Hyslop has welcomed the funding, which includes $2.86 million for the $3.58-million Phillips Road Upgrade Project and $1.4 million for the $1.75-million Landsborough Road Freight Safety and Productivity Project.
"In a municipality where a significant proportion of economic activity is freight-dependent, particularly grain production and mining operations, maintaining and upgrading road infrastructure is critical to ensuring these industries remain productive, safe and competitive," she said.
The SLRIP is an application-based, merit-assessed program open to state, territory and local governments. It provides funding for projects to address current and emerging road infrastructure needs.
Cr Hyslop said she was thrilled to see Northern Grampians Shire Council among the top performing councils Australia-wide in securing SLRIP funding.
"As well as obtaining this significant funding under tranche four of the program, council was previously awarded $2.12 million in SLRIP funding for the $2.65 million Wallaloo East Road project, which involves widening and rehabilitating the pavement along the significant road corridor," she said.
"When you add up the funding from the different tranches, Northern Grampians Shire Council was among the best-performing councils in the state and country, which is a coup for our hard-working council staff.
"These fantastic outcomes for our municipality have been achieved entirely in-house by council's Infrastructure team, especially the Engineering Services team and ably supported by the Asset team.
"From project identification and investigation through to development and submission, the work was led internally, reflecting a high level of capability, initiative and ownership.
"This approach ensures that council continues to maximise external funding opportunities while delivering practical, on-the-ground improvements that directly benefit the Northern Grampians community."
Phillips Road is a key connector within the local freight network, supporting the movement of grain and agricultural products from farms to regional storage facilities and export corridors.
The Phillips Road Upgrade Project - which involves reconstructing and widening approximately 9.2 kilometres of road to provide two 3.2-metre lanes with sealed shoulders - will provide significant safety improvements, particularly for the local traffic that uses the road.
Works include intersection upgrades at Danes Avenue, Rahleys Road, Krelle Road and Giles River Road to improve safety and allow heavy vehicle access, replacing or upgrading 16 culverts and strengthening the existing bridge with new guardrails. Roadside hazards will either be removed or protection barriers put in place to protect motorists.
The Landsborough Road project will involve targeted upgrades along approximately 29 kilometres of the route, including safety treatments at high-risk locations and infrastructure improvements to support higher productivity vehicles.
These works will enable sections of the road to accommodate up to 91-tonne 3-3-3 A-Doubles, increasing the allowable vehicle configuration from HML B-Doubles while improving safety and freight efficiency.
The scope of works includes upgrading narrow culverts that are at risk of de-rating, widening substandard road seals, improving intersection geometry, installing line-marking, and constructing road safety barriers to enhance safety for freight vehicles and other road users.
"These projects focus on widening and sealing works to improve road safety, enhance freight efficiency and provide more reliable all-weather access for residents, agricultural producers and transport operators," Cr Hyslop said.
"Together, these upgrades represent a targeted investment in critical infrastructure like grain, livestock and mining, that supports the local economy, improves access across the municipality and strengthens the resilience of the road network."
Cr Hyslop said council would contribute about 20 per cent of the total project cost, enabling the delivery of high-value outcomes.
"With 3370 kilometres of local roads, 419 bridges and major culverts, as well as footpaths, kerb and channel, drainage and signage, grant funding is critical for small rural councils such as ours, acting as a financial lifeline that bridges the gap between limited rates, revenue and the high cost of providing essential community services," she said.
"Because we have a small population and high per-capita costs for infrastructure and services, external funding is essential for our long-term sustainability."
Cr Hyslop thanked everyone involved in securing the funding.
"It takes considerable time and energy to apply for these highly competitive grant streams and the reason we have been so successful in obtaining this money is due to council's thorough and considered grant applications, prior performance in delivering projects under this grant funding stream and commitment to quality," she said.
