MITCHELL-STRATHBOGIE EDITION
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Shire wins funds to improve safety
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026
LOCAL CFA UNIT ‘SNUBBED AGAIN’
● Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish, pictured, is surrounded by the Yarck CFA family. ■ Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish says the omission of Yarck from new CFA station builds as a slap in the face from an out-of-touch Labor Government. Ms McLeish said that the State Budget snubbed a community still recovering from January’s devastating bushfires. Land purchased in Yarck for a new CFA station has now sat vacant for almost a decade. Ms McLeish said that he snub comes as the State Government spruiked funding for 10 new fire stations over the next 10 years as part of its State Budget. Ms McLeish said the decision was bitterly disappointing for volunteers at the centre of January’s firefight where 33 homes were lost around Yarck alone. “The Labor Government’s investment in rural brigades is nothing short of woeful,” Ms McLeish said.
ROAD DEATH AT EILDON
Half-baked
“This is a government that collects $3 billion each year from the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Levy and yet this halfbaked plan is spread out to 2036 and no one knows who gets what. “Land was purchased back in 2016, yet Yarck keeps being pushed down the priority list.” The Yarck brigade has protected the community since 1939 and continues to play a critical role responding to bushfires, road accidents and emergencies across the district. The vacant site on Goodear Lane was secured in December 2016. Ms McLeish said the case for a new station was clear. “After everything this community has endured, the government must stop ignoring Yarck and deliver the modern, safe facility our firefighters deserve,” she said. “A token grant to fix up a toilet back in 2024 does not change the desperate need for the CFA station to be moved out of the main street.” Ms McLeish said that the budget ignored critical needs in the electorate and forecast a debt of almost $200 billion by 2023, more than the debt of Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia combined.
■ A man has died following a crash in Eildon on Sunday (May 10). Emergency services responded to reports that a car had hit a power-pole on Eildon-Jamieson Rd just after 4pm. Despite the efforts of passers-by who tried to help the three men inside the Holden Commodore, a passenger died on scene. Another passenger was injured and conveyed to hospital by road ambulance while the driver suffered lifethreatening injuries and was airlifted to Melbourne. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives were attending and will investigate what caused the crash. Sergeant Geoff Shaw from the Marysville Police Station co-ordinated the police response and said this is a devastating high-speed crash that has ended one life and will change many others forever.
■ Mitchell Shire Council has secured funding through the Federal Government’s Black Spot Program to deliver targeted road safety upgrades across the municipality. The Black Spot Program is a longrunning Federal Government initiative that funds safety treatments at highrisk locations, based on crash history or identified risk. These projects were nominated and developed by Council’s Traffic and Road Safety Team with consideration of crash statistics, community road safety concerns and other stakeholders and assessed through a state-based panel process. Botanical Avenue, Wallan near Watergum Way ($260,000): Installation of a raised pedestrian priority crossing, along with lighting upgrades and improved line marking and delineation to make it safer and easier for people to move through the area. Darraweit Road, Wallan between Pretty Sally Drive and Roulston Way ($1.293 million): Upgrades will include pedestrian refuge islands and new median turn lanes, supported by a shared user path, improved lighting, signage and line marking to better manage traffic flow and improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians. Darraweit Road, Wallan from Old Sydney Road through to the Mitchell Shire boundary near Simons Hill Road ($248,000): Works will focus on reducing risk along the route, with active curve warning signs, centreline audio tactile line marking and upgraded delineation to improve driver awareness and road conditions. Mandalay Circuit and Golf Links Drive, Beveridge ($1.156 million): A range of traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements, including priority crossings, raised safety platforms, speed cushions and updated delineation to support safer movement through the area. Lithgow Street, Beveridge between the freeway off ramp and Mallaig Drive ($1.569 million): Will be upgraded with raised safety platforms and pedestrian operated signals, along with an extension of the shared user path and lighting improvements to support safer movement through this growing area. Mitchell Shire Mayor Cr John Dougall said the funding would support practical improvements at known risk locations across the Shire. “Road safety is a key priority for our community, and these projects focus on areas where targeted upgrades can make a real difference,” he said. “These works are about reducing risk - whether that’s improving visibility, slowing traffic or making it safer for pedestrians to move through busy areas. “We thank the Australian Government for this funding, which will help us deliver important safety improvements for our community. “Programs like Black Spot allow us to focus on specific locations where intervention is needed and deliver upgrades that have a clear and measurable impact. “I’d also like to thank Council staff, who have worked very deliberately to address road safety matters and develop compelling funding bids that have secured a healthy share of the available funding.” Mitchell Council is now planning delivery of these projects and will update the community when works are set to begin.
Short on what’s needed ■ Peri Urban Councils Victoria has welcomed cost-of-living relief measures in the Victorian budget, but states investment needed to unlock housing and support fast-growing peri-urban communities fell well short of what is required. PUCV Chair, Cr Moira Berry said household relief was important, particularly following last week’s interest rate rise, but relief was only effective when fair and equitable.