Melba Highway: Residents report pot holes along major highway

A major Yarra Valley highway is “stuffed full of holes,” with fed up drivers labelling the dangerous road “a disgrace”.

A major highway through the Yarra Valley is “stuffed full of pot holes” and in desperate need of urgent repairs, according to fed up motorists.

Residents have labelled Melba Highway “shocking and dangerous” with constant pot holes posing a danger to drivers and even causing tyres to burst.

Eildon state Liberal MP Cindy McLeish labelled the road one of the worst in her electorate. Ms McLeish recently called on the state government to undertake urgent repair works on a section of the highway near Dixons Creek, which she said was meant to happen before the Christmas holidays.

On the Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader Facebook page, Sue Jackson said the road was “an absolute mess” from Glenburn to Yarra Glen.

“The pot holes are getting deeper and have not been addressed for months. The road condition has nothing to do with the recent storms. It was dangerous way before any storm hit,” she said.

“Desperate repairs are needed.”

Bindi Miller said her daughter split a tyre on her new car, which was not even 24 hours old, just out of Yea going towards Mansfield.

“That part (of the road) is getting worse week by week. The road from Yarra Glen to Mansfield is a disgrace and I wouldn’t want to be towing anything.”

Loki Scott McDuff said the whole of Melba Highway was pathetic.

“We even have a sink hole out the front and council says it’s VicRoads responsibility and VicRoads say it’s councils.”

William Towt said the road needed work from Yarra Glen to Yea and was “stuffed full of holes”.

Melba Highway is “stuffed full of holes” according to one motorist. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Ms McLeish said she had received many complaints from locals about the condition of the road.

She said the lanes at Dixons Creek had become so eroded that speed humps had been created in the middle of the road between the lanes.

“It is no surprise that one of the worst roads in my electorate is the Melba Highway, which I drive daily. It is occasionally subject to quick fixes but no lasting repairs,” she said.

“I saw 11 warning signs along the (road) in early January and no road works taking place. It’s a disgrace.”

But the state government said work was now underway to complete significant pavement repairs on the highway near Hunts Lane in Dixons Creek, fixing the deterioration of the road surface, including potholes.

The government said the works were delayed due to several factors, including wet weather and storms.

It said the works being completed were in addition to the maintenance, which took place across four sections of the Melba Highway over the past five years between Yering and Castella.

The government said potholes and hazards could happen overnight – particularly in bad weather.

Drivers can report hazards through the 24-hour Traffic Management Centre hotline (131 170). If the hazard poses a safety risk to drivers, a response will be arranged immediately.