Flooding: Impacts to Council Services
Frequently asked questions
We have prepared the following Frequently Asked Questions for our community. Please email any further questions to info@strathbogie.vic.gov.au and we will continue to provide updates.
Road Impacts
We are urging people to please take care driving on our rural roads which have been significantly impacted by flood.
Our team is working around the clock to clear trees, repair road surfaces, unblock culverts and reopen roads, but many road surfaces have deteriorated to a point where some sections are difficult for drivers to navigate without significant reductions in speed.
We cannot urge the important of driving safely, and to the conditions, strongly enough.
Strathbogie Shire has more than 2210km of roads – 1465km unsealed and 748km sealed. On top of this there are 521 bridges and culverts to maintain.
We know poor road conditions are frustrating for our community and we are working as hard as we can, but there is no quick fix and we are not keeping up.
Flooding has damaged our roads so badly we must look at repairs that are above and beyond our normal maintenance programs.
So, while we continue to urge our community to drive safely, we’ve also enacted the force majeure clauses in our Road Management and Tree Management plans.
It’s a technical term, but what it means is we can’t provide the service levels outlined in these plans.
We have also started advocating to State and Federal governments for funding.
Recently our Council moved a motion at the Municipal Association of Victoria’s conference to lead a state-wide advocacy campaign calling on the Victorian Government to increase funding for road maintenance.
Our motion was supported unanimously.
We ask our community to please be understanding. We may not get to your road tomorrow, next week or even next month.
We are triaging our repairs to ensure our most used roads are repaired first.
You can submit a road request through our online portal.
Road Closures
Transfer Stations
Council will be waiving fees to our Transfer Stations and extending hours to dispose of flood waste (such as carpet, affected furniture and bedding).
All Transfer Stations have now returned to normal operating hours.
Kirwans Bridge
Unfortunately, Kirwans Bridge will remain closed until it can be structurally assessed.
This cannot happen until floodwater recedes and it is safe to do so – and this could take many months.
We understand this is frustrating for the Kirwans Bridge community, but please be assured it is a top priority.
The tender for the Weir Rd sealing – the alternative route to the Nagambie township – has been awarded and works on this road will also start as soon as the weather allows us.
Lake Nagambie open to recreational use, while Goulburn River remains closed
Lake Nagambie is open to recreation use, but the Goulburn River from Chinaman’s Bridge to Kirwans Bridge, will remain closed to recreational use.
To safety of our community and visitors is our priority.
Council has now surveyed the river to ensure there are no underwater hazards and is awaiting the results.
We are working as quickly as we can and will keep you up-to-date on our website, social media, and through local newspapers.
We have prepared the following Frequently Asked Questions for our community.
Please email any further questions to info@strathbogie.vic.gov.au and we will continue to provide updates.