Dangerous Southern Grampians intersections to get $781,000 upgrade

Southern Grampians council will receive $781,000 from the Victorian Government to upgrade several dangerous intersections in the shire and introduce lower speed limits at a number of high-risk locations.

What’s it for? The funding, announced through the Safe Local Roads and Streets Program, will pay for an intersection realignment at Mill Road and Tarrington-Strathkellar Road, upgrades along Hamilton-Chatsworth Road and additional safety improvements in Tarrington.

• Works are expected to be completed by the end of May 2027.

Why it matters: Mayor Dennis Heslin said in a statement the upgrades were designed to reduce the risk of serious crashes on local roads.

🗣️ "The reality is we have a huge number of roads to maintain, so receiving funding supports us to improve safety within the region," Heslin said. "This new infrastructure will make it safer and easier to travel around our community by reducing the risk for serious crashes at these locations."

The projects were selected after the council audited its main road network in 2023 and identified intersections requiring safety improvements.

The background: The latest funding builds on previous investment in the shire's road network. Council secured $2 million through the same program in early 2025 to upgrade seven pedestrian crossings across Hamilton, with most works now completed.

• Council previously received $9.6 million in road funding over four years, followed by a further $1.145 million for road infrastructure between 2024 and 2026.

At its April 2025 meeting, council also committed $100,000 to upgrade the Blackwood-Dunkeld Road intersection, another priority identified through the 2023 road safety audits, and allocated a further $200,000 in its 2025-26 budget to plan future road safety projects across the shire.