From Camberwell to Knox, potholes ‘like craters on the moon’ litter local roads. These are some of the worst roads in Melbourne
The condition of roads in Melbourne’s east has been slammed by motorists with potholes being likened to “craters on the moon”. Here are some of the worst roads.
Inner East
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Motorists in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs risk serious damage to their cars as they swerve around potholes likened to “craters on the moon” a Herald Sun investigation reveals.
From Toorak to Scoresby, pot holes are likes minefields on major roads, with one council spending $385,000 in road maintenance costs between 2023 and 2024.
Some frustrated residents have gone to drastic lengths to get potholes fixed, including one person who made headlines after spray painting a penis around potholes.
Here is a list of eastern suburbs roads that are among the worst for potholes.
Sanders Rd, Box Hill
In 2016, Sanders Rd, Box Hill was called “one of the most neglected roads in all of Melbourne”.
Almost a decade later, not much has changed.
Sanders Rd is bordered by a cemetery and backed onto by a row of driveways.
What the small backstreet lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in potholes.
Toorak Rd
Stretching from South Melbourne to Burwood, Toorak Rd connects parts of the eastern suburbs to the city.
Driving along the long road has been likened to “driving dodge-em cars” by one resident.
“It’s disgusting we pay so much for our registration and rates and they cannot maintain the roads,” Stonnington resident Kylie Plousi said.
“It’s going to take someone being killed before they fix them properly.”
Potholes can been found in 10m increments along Toorak Rd at some points, most noticeably around the Hartwell Village at Camberwell and in the area around the Warrigal Rd intersection at Burwood.
Warrigal Rd
Another major arterial road plagued with potholes running through the east and southeastern suburbs is Warrigal Rd.
According to locals, it would be “easier to ask where there wasn’t any potholes”.
Boroondara motorist Brad Price said the holes often turn up after significant construction has happened in the area.
“I’m guessing the developers aren’t liable for road damage,” he said.
“It’s anywhere there’s a new property or development. The roads end up being woeful”.
Scoresby Rd
According to locals, the conditions on Scoresby Rd can be so bad it’s “beginning to become one big pothole”.
It has even been likened to driving along a roller coaster by eastern suburbs residents.
The worst stretch of roads runs between Boronia Rd and the Burwood Highway, with the only saving grace for drivers being the 40km/h speed limit they must adhere to when driving past the Fairhills High School on weekdays.
Ferntree Gully Rd
Knox resident Katarina described her commute along Ferntree Gully Rd as playing “real life Mario Kart”.
But instead of dodging errant bananas or green shells, drivers must be on the lookout for upcoming craters ready to pop their tyres.
Lysterfield Rd
Repairs don’t appear to be sticking along Lysterfield Rd, with potholes opening up just as frequently as they are being fixed.
Local Bryce Millar said there was one pothole along the road that just keeps getting bigger.
“All they do to repair it is just to fill it then and then they think problem solved,” he said.
“It has never been fixed properly.”
Wellington Rd
Beside the pothole problem, Wellington Rd commuters are fed up of the uncut grass along the nature strips.
“The road need a lot of attention both ways,” local resident Anne said.
“And they just need to start cutting the grass, they put up the barriers and then never cut the grass.”
(Dis)Honourable mentions
– Dorset Rd
– Canterbury Rd
– Glenferrie Rd
– Dandenong Hwy between Punt Rd and Glenferrie Rd
– Centre Rd between Dandenong and Dingley
– Huntingdale Rd
– Quality Dr, Dandenong South
What councils have to say
Maroondah City Council
Mayor Kylie Spears said the council undertook important road improvements as part of its
Capital Works Program.
She added the council would invest $4.3m in its roads over the 2024/2025 financial year.
“There will be 18 road resurfacing projects and upgrades to Victoria St in Ringwood East,” she said.
“Newell St, Bayswater North, Evelyn Rd, Ringwood North and Heatherdale Rd, Ringwood will also be looked at.”
Knox City Council
Mayor Jude Dwight said VicRoads had undertaken recent road maintenance works, but acknowledged more work needed to be done to address road safety concerns.
“Knox Council has been calling on the Victorian Government to improve the condition of its major roads which have been the subject of numerous complaints from our residents and people travelling through Knox,” Mayor Dwight said.
The Council is conducting a road safety audit of Wellington Rd, between Napoleon Rd and Taylors Ln.
Whitehorse City Council
Mayor Denis Massoud said the council was committed to improving the condition of roads and had allocated $6.76m for road asset renewal in the recent budget.
“This funding will cover road resurfacing, kerb and channel renewal and complete reconstructions of sections of three roads across the municipality,” Mayor Massoud said.
“We also encourage greater maintenance efforts on the State-managed arterial road network within Whitehorse.”
A Whitehorse Council spokesperson added several capital works improvement projects were scheduled for this year.
These projects include the Loudon and Burwood Rd reconstruction, the reconstruction of Raleigh St and Blackburn South/Forest Hill Rd, with $1.2m going towards kerb and channel renewal and $3.1m for road resurfacing.
Boroondara City Council
Director of places and spaces at the City of Boroondara Council, Daniel Freer, said the council had a $14.1m budget for capital road works over the 2024 – 2025 period.
“The budget includes the reconstruction and re-sheeting of approximately 15km of council-owned locals roads,” he said.
“This includes rebuilding the road base and relaying the kerb and channel.”
Mr Freer said recent examples of these works were the re-sheeting of Essex Rd in Surrey Hills and the road reconstruction in Hilda Crescent in Hawthorn.
“In the 2023 – 2024 financial year, the City of Boroondara spent an approximate $388,000 on reactive road maintenance, with potholes being the most significant contributor to this cost,” Mr Freer said.
Yarra Valley Council and the City of Stonnington Council have been contacted for comment.
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