Blown tyres and damaged rims are becoming a regular occurrence for motorists driving along Katamatite-Shepparton Rd.
Photo by
Abby Green
A pothole crisis is hitting regional Victoria, turning everyday journeys into costly trips to the mechanic.
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Locals say roads resemble “bomb craters”, with frustrated motorists describing the condition of Katamatite-Shepparton Rd as “appalling” while potholes leave a trail of blown tyres, damaged rims and mounting repair bills.
Cobram local Zac Peachey knows the damage first-hand after blowing a tyre in the early hours of Saturday morning, July 4, while driving home along Katamatite-Shepparton Rd.
Mr Peachey had just returned from a month in Europe and said the condition of the road had noticeably deteriorated while he was away.
“It is so dangerous at night. I honestly didn’t even see the pothole until I hit it. It blended in with the road that well,” he said.
“I pulled over about 100 metres up the road and saw the tyre had come completely off the rim. It was shredded.”
Katamatite-Shepparton Rd is littered with potholes.
Photo by
Abby Green
Mr Peachey said the damage was particularly frustrating because he had replaced all four tyres only a few months earlier.
“I was so livid,” he said.
“I genuinely think the roads are getting worse every year. It’s getting to the point where motorists need to start bringing their own gravel to fill the potholes.”
The Courier asked its Facebook community members on Tuesday, July 7 to share their experiences on local roads, with more than 100 comments posted by the following day.
Paul Kilmister described the road between Cobram East Fire Station and Yarrawonga as a “minefield of potholes”, while Dee Fernandez said he counted 115 potholes from Cobram to Clonbinane on Tuesday, July 7.
Peter Johnson said he blew a tyre and damaged a rim while travelling on Yarrawonga-Katamatite Rd.
“Possibly $1000 damage. Not happy,” he wrote.
Cobram local Zac Peachey hit a pothole driving along Katamatite-Shepparton Rd, shredding the front tyre.
Photo by
Zac Peachey
Two commenters said they had stopped riding their motorcycles because they believed the roads were too dangerous.
Henri Anthony suggested marking hazardous potholes with spray paint to warn other motorists.
“I’m considering driving around with a can of spray paint 20 to 30 metres before the damaged areas, marking them with bright paint,” he said.
Doug Muir summed up the frustration shared by many, commenting: “Cars need a roadworthy, but roads are not car worthy.”
Jenny Goldsack said repeated complaints had become “a waste of time”, arguing temporary repairs on the Katamatite-Yarrawonga Rd were failing to last.
Jeff Davy suggested residents may eventually have to take matters into their own hands.
“Is it time for us to buy Easy Crete bagged concrete, stop the traffic and fix these potholes ourselves...?” he said.
Locals have described the state of Katamatite-Shepparton Rd as "appalling".
Photo by
Abby Green
Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy said regional Victorians deserved safe, well-maintained roads, arguing the state government had failed to maintain the network adequately.
“The government is spending another $1.5 million on road safety education, but regional Victorians are asking one simple question: does the course include how to safely dodge a pothole the size of a car tyre?” he said.
“Education has its place, but no amount of classroom learning can prepare motorists for crumbling roads, collapsing edges and potholes that are damaging vehicles and putting lives at risk every single day.”
A spokesperson said the government had invested the largest amount in the state’s history on road repairs.
“Over the past two years, we have invested nearly $2 billion — the largest investment in Victoria’s history — to rebuild and repair the roads that people depend on every single day, with 70 per cent of that funding directed to regional Victoria,” the spokesperson said.
“This is the biggest roads blitz in the state’s history — we’re fixing more potholes than last year and delivering more complex rebuilding and rehabilitation works to strengthen roads for the long term.”
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