Sealing the Hills - road sealing project

About

The Sealing the Hills program aims to seal unsealed roads across Dandenong Ranges and surrounding townships

  • Significant federal government funding was cut from the program in January 2023. 
  • Council is continuing to advocate for funding to be reinstated.
  • This project will be co-funded by property owners and the Australian Government via a special charge scheme.

Project funding

In January 2023, $109 million of committed funding has been discontinued and withdrawn from the Sealing the Hills program by the Australian Government.

We are continuing to prioritise improving our road network, building better local roads, and are working hard to advocate and seek alternative funding to seal these roads in future.

We are committed to working closely with the community to build better local roads and we will be keeping project stakeholders and our community informed regarding funding updates and as works progress.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Sealing the Hills funding withdrawal

Roads to be sealed

164 roads were originally prioritised for sealing as part of this program.

Unfortunately, due to funding cuts from the federal government, 38 roads will now be sealed under this program.

Council has secured $41 million funding for selected road projects already in the pipeline including those under construction, going to tender and those about to complete their special charge scheme consultations.

These packages include:

Beaconsfield Upper

Cockatoo

  • First-Grenville package
    This package includes First Avenue, Grenville Road, Hazels Street, Marcelle Street, Neville Street, Second Avenue, Spring Street and Steane Street

Emerald

Roads no longer proceeding to construction

As of January 2023, the withdrawal of federal funding means that Council will be unable to deliver and seal all the packages originally included in the Sealing the Hills program, including several collector roads. These packages include:

Beaconsfield Upper

  • Salisbury Road package
    This package includes Corringham Road, Fairhazel Court and Sugarloaf Road.
  • St Georges package
    This package includes St Georges Road, Halford Street and Montuna Grove
  • Stoney Creek No. 2 package
    This package includes Haupt Place, Lenne Street and Sutherland Street.
  • Telegraph Road

Cockatoo

  • Arthur-Amphlett package
    This package includes Suffolk Avenue, Ivy Street, Amphlett Avenue, Arthur Road and Fielder Road
  • Halycon-Seaview package
    This package includes Alexander Road, Fern Gully Road, Gum Street, Halcyon Grove, Jeanne Street, Lowen Road, Maurice Street, Seaview Road and Stringybark Road.
  • Hillside-Dorchester package
    This package includes Dorchester Road, Edmunds Road, George Street, Haylock Avenue, Haven Court, Hillside Road, Salisbury Road and Laneway access.
  • Kitchener-Joffre package
    This package includes Kitchener Parade, Joffre Pde, Birdwood Avenue, Allenby Ave, Beatty Pde and Church Crescent
  • Mountain-Ure package
    This package includes Mountain Road and Ure Rd
  • View Hill package
    This package includes Mackenzie Street, Maillard Street, Meyer Street, View Hill Road, Vincent Street and Woodrow Court.
  • Woodland Avenue package
    This package includes Belgrave Avenue, Colin Avenue and Woodland Avenue.

Emerald

  • Charman-Ferres package
    This package includes Ferres Road, Prince St East, Florence Avenue, Orchard Grove, Barnshaw Lane, Colin Ave, Caroline Crescent and Brookdale Ave
  • Clematis package
    This package includes Albert Road, Ogilvy Rd and Aura Vale Rd
  • Edenmont – Pinnocks catchment, Emerald
    This package includes Naylors Road, Cross Street, Duke St, Doery St, Cascade Rd and Telopea Rd
  • Emerald Lake Road package
    This package includes Alfred Grove, Elizabeth Court, Lawsons Road, Ronald Road and Royal Parade
  • Kilvington – Old Beaconsfield package
    This package includes Rawhiti Road and Outlook Rd
  • Legg Road package
    This package includes Boundary Rd East, Legg Rd, Steel Rd, Curtis Rd, Maisie Rd, Nolan Rd, Upton Rd and Railway Rd
  • Lower Grieve-Wright package 1
    This package includes Upper Grieve Road, Phillip Rd, Johnson Street, Margaret Rd and McNamara Rd
  • Lower Grieve-Wright package 2
    This package includes Wright Road, Dunstan Rd, Symons Rd, Lower Grieve Rd and Jacka Rd
  • Lower Grieve-Wright package 3
    This package includes Dalziell Road, Bellbird Crescent, Auhl Road and Wombat Cres
  • Nobelius - Glenvista package
    This package includes Glenvista Avenue, Poplar Crescent, Sunnyside Terace, Grandview Ave, Elm Cr, Nobelius Street and Carramar Court
  • Pinnocks – Berrys package
    This package includes Paradise Grove, Walnut Avenue, Pinnocks Road, Berrys Rd and Madigan Way
  • Station-William package 1
    This package includes Albert Road, Cloverleigh Avenue and Hamilton Road
  • Station-William package 2
    This package includes Station Avenue, William Street, Sellars Road, Ambrose St and ROWY

Gembrook

  • Red–Boyd Road package
    This package includes Boyd Road, Ramage Lance, Red Road, Ritchie Road and Williamson Road

Guys Hill

Mount Burnett

Nar Nar Goon North

  • Moore Road

Officer

  • Carpenter Road and Dickie Road

Pakenham Upper

  • Bourkes Creek Road and Matters Road
  • Morrison Road
  • Thewlis Road
  • Toomuc Valley Road and Shelton Road

Completed projects

Since starting the ‘Sealing the Hills’ program in mid-2021, Council has sealed and delivered 7 roads across 3 townships.

Beaconsfield Upper

Cockatoo

Emerald

Gembrook

How the roads were chosen

Several factors were considered to decide which roads were included in the program and what priority they were given, such as: 

  • Community value – for example, roads that provide access to important community facilities, or are close to townships/highly populated areas.  
  • Traffic volumes – higher traffic roads were given priority receiving higher scores.
  • Strategic value – this could include:
    • roads linking townships
    • alternative access routes to main roads
    • roads that are a high value fire escape route. 
  • Residential density – calculated by dividing the number of lots along the road by the length of the road. 
  • Safety – taken from the latest crash data available as well safety assessments where available. 
  • Maintenance costs – this is based on the ongoing level of maintenance that is required by Council for each road. 

About the Special Charge Scheme

Individual road sealing projects will only proceed if a majority of landowners support the works in their street. If you’re a tenant, your landlord will be consulted about the works.

  • Australian Government funding will subsidise about 85% of the works, with Council and property owners contributing the rest via a special charge scheme. 
  • Council has been able to commit to capping landowner contributions at $7,000 per ‘development unit’ (also known as a benefit unit) for the life of the program. Without this extra funding, landowner contributions would usually range between $20,000 to $35,000.
  • In most cases, a property will be equal to 1 x development unit’ – however please note, a property that can be further subdivided or intensively developed may attract multiple development units (benefit units). This will depend on the land zoning and an assessment of the likelihood of further subdivision/development actually occurring.

Why do I need to contribute towards the cost?

Over the years Council has partnered with landowners to seal numerous unsealed roads through special charge schemes. Because of the Australian Government funding for this project, owners will get a much lower rate than has been required in the past.

How is the cost calculated?

The cost of sealing the road and the number of rateable properties determines the cost that owners need to contribute towards having their road sealed.

Using the Australian Government’s money in a co-payment system with landowners means we’ll be able to seal significantly more unsealed roads across the shire. Without this co-payment, it’s likely that over 50 kilometres of roads would miss out.

 

How do I pay my contribution?

If you prefer to pay over a number of years

You can pay over a number of years (specified at the time of the declaration of your special charge scheme), in the same way you pay your annual rates.

Financing costs, similar to home loan interest rates, are added to your charge. This is determined following advice from Council’s financial institution. The interest rate is fixed for the period of the special charge.

If you prefer a lump sum payment

In this case, the total charge (which does not include financing costs) must be paid by the date your annual rates are due. 

What happens if I can’t afford the co-payment? 

We are mindful that some people are experiencing financial and other impacts from the COVID 19 pandemic. We intend to work closely with anyone experiencing such difficulties.We currently offer financial hardship arrangements, and we’re also looking at other assistance options for those in financial difficulty. Our correspondence will include information about repayment and deferment options available to you.

What if I don’t want my road to be part of the project?

As outlined in the Local Government Act 1989, as part of the Special Charge Scheme process you’ll be given the opportunity to make a submission or objection if you have issues with the proposal.

  • All landowners are given notices at the start of the process, so that you can make a written submission or objection. Those making submissions may appear before Council to be heard in support of their submission.
  • After considering any submissions, Council will decide whether to go ahead with the project and we’ll let you know about the decision.
  • If we decide to go ahead with the special charge, you may then apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for a review of the decision.

Enquiries

Contact the Major Roads Projects team
Ph: 1300 787 624 
Mail: mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au

More information

Sealing Roads in the Dandenong Ranges and Surrounds on the Australian Government website. 

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