General News
3 October, 2025
Leaders pledge to save Maryborough VicRoads services as deadline nears
In a raucous public meeting this week, Maryborough residents were told their VicRoads office would remain open, yet uncertainty lingers as locals prepare to take a petition to State Parliament.
Monday night’s public meeting laid bare the community’s angst over what will be left of Maryborough’s VicRoads’ office as Central Goldfields Shire Council’s (CGSC) October 31 funding deadline looms.
Many attendees were left to observe the meeting from the foyer as hundreds from as far at Charlton, Clunes, Swan Hill, Melbourne and Ararat filled Maryborough Education Centre’s performing arts theatre, pressing state and local leaders with questions and pleas for VicRoads services to remain.
CGSC is still reviewing the future of the Maryborough VicRoads agency after VicRoads changed its funding model from full cost reimbursement to transaction-based earlier this year. An interim hybrid model is in place until October 31, 2025.
However, CGSC said they cannot subsidise the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
Tension began earlier that day when business and vehicle owners blocked Nolan Street for over half an hour, a move planned by public meeting organiser David Hendrickson.
“It represented the affected transport companies, farmers and public transport,” he said on Monday afternoon.
Those who protested later addressed the forum, speaking on the town’s economic impact if those who travel for VicRoads no longer came to Maryborough, or local historical car club members who cannot exist without in person services.
At the meeting, Mr Hendrickson explained VicRoads privatisation, funding changes, and his request for information outlining the Maryborough VicRoads agreement.
“In 2023, our then CEO, Lucy Roffey signed a document, agreeing to the Maryborough VicRoads office being reclassified from a subranch to an agency, with the full range of services. They now want to classify back to an agency, which means you will only pay bills,” he said.
Upon crowd accusations of CGSC “washing their hands” of the deal, CGSC CEO Peter Harriot rose to clarify.
“I’ve been here three months, and in the first two weeks, I realised VicRoads would be delivering services under a different model. There is a lot of will to help, and we endeavour to sort this out,” he said.
“We have an agreement between VicRoads and council that describe how we operate. It involves financial arrangement. When you have information about staff employment arrangements, we can’t discuss those in public. I can’t provide that information to just anyone.
“We have negotiated an interim arrangement, which is still not financially feasible from my point of view. We have written to the minister involved … and the response from the government is positive. They do wish to see VicRoads retained.”
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett was adamant VicRoads will remain.
“On behalf of the Victorian Government, but also as your member of parliament and someone committed to delivering to Maryborough, and not someone who just comes when it is convenient, I’m committed to VicRoads staying. If that is not between CGSC and VicRoads, then there are other options to keep VicRoads in this town,” she said.
“There has been a lot of work happening between CGSC and VicRoads. It’s very unfortunate and disappointing this hasn’t been sorted yet, and it’s frustrating that we are hearing tonight the council has said they will confirm what they are doing on October 31 and we are at September 29.”
While she continued to assure the community all services would be retained, this was met with continuous questions from audience members, coming under fire for not advocating for the agency earlier.
“I’m committed that VicRoads stays in Maryborough. Someone has pointed out we should have sorted it out before finding out about it, I found out about it the same time as you,” Ms Haylett said.
“VicRoads is here to stay, it’s just a matter of who runs it ... I want to see all services retained.”
Members for Western Victoria Bev McArthur and Joe McCracken and State Leader for The Nationals Danny O’Brien, all noted it still isn’t known what a “fixed” Maryborough VicRoads will look like, nor the cost.
“If it absolutely is fixed, we still don’t know how much it’s going to cost. There is a commitment to have it in Maryborough, so what does it actually look like?,” Mr McCracken said.
Cr Geoff Bartlett addressed the forum, not on behalf of the shire, but to provide clarification on privatisation, and was met with audience remarks questioning relevance, despite outlining why resolution is so complex.
Cr Green spoke on behalf of CGSC councillors, and seconded Cr Bartlett’s explanation.
“We are here because of a very complicated situation ... a galaxy of interests. We have State Government, local government and private enterprise. That aspect is really complicated. Geoff is getting into that because we have to know what we are dealing with. We don’t have long. But council is totally committed,” he said.
The meeting delivered plenty of background but little solution on what accessing the agency will look like after October 31.
However, clarification came from Mr Harriot, insisting after October 31, the agency will remain open.
“VicRoads are not saying they are closing on October 31. That is the interim financial arrangement we have organised. After that, a decision has got to be made,” he said.
The meeting marked the formal launch of the State Parliament petition, sponsored by Bev McArthur, requesting the State Government reverses the new VicRoads funding model and all services remain.
“People think ‘I’ve signed it nine times, they won’t know’. It will be scanned and they will know. Without your faces, we would lose it all,” Mr Hendrickson said.
The petition is currently being distributed around shop fronts including Maryborough IGA and Crameri’s Mitre 10, throughout CGSC, and as far as St Arnaud.
Under State Parliament guidelines, any Victorian can sign the petition, even people under 18. A person cannot sign on behalf of another person, or sign it twice.
After the petition closes, it will be presented by Bev McArthur in State Parliament.
The petition closes November 30, 2025.