Unsealed roads

Nillumbik has approximately 302km of unsealed roads. As part of Council’s maintenance program, every unsealed road in the Shire is graded at least once per year.

Where required, additional maintenance is also carried out, including:

• regrading
• pothole repair
• shoulder repair
• table drain maintenance and culvert maintenance
• other repairs.

Grading schedule

The maintenance program begins in the southern parts of the Shire in February/March and progresses north over the calendar year.

Outside of the scheduled maintenance program, you can report a road issue. Your request will be referred to our officers for further investigation. 

Help keep your road in good condition

As a resident of an unsealed road, a simple step you can take to reduce maintenance issues is to regularly check your driveway culvert to ensure that the openings are clear of any leaf matter, or other debris.

Driveway (or crossover) culverts are part of a property’s driveway, and it is the property owner’s responsibility to maintain the crossover in a safe and serviceable condition.

This allows the water to flow along its intended path and away from the driving surface where it can lead to more road damage. It also prevents blockages from worsening to the point where it may require a pipe cleaning contractor to clear.

When driving, avoid hard braking, cornering and accelerating. This can break the road surface apart and lead to more corrugations.

Sealing unsealed roads

Roads are sealed in one of the following ways:

• Funding is provided via a Council program, or through funding from federal or state government. Generally, this funding is reserved for roads that are a high priority under Council's Unsealed Roads Improvement Prioritisation Policy(PDF, 387KB). Using the criteria outlined in this policy, Council has assessed all unsealed roads in Nillumbik and developed an Unsealed Roads Priority List(PDF, 235KB). This is based on a desktop assessment of all roads, with some roads also subject to a site inspection. If you have questions or feedback, call 9433 3111 or email nillumbik@nillumbik.vic.gov.au.
• Developers seal existing unsealed roads as part of their planning permit obligations when a development is built. In new subdivisions, the cost of infrastructure (such as sealed roads, footpaths and drainage) is shared across all lots to be sold by the developer. The purchaser of the new lot and its subsequent purchasers pay to get the benefits of the infrastructure.
• Landowners pay for the road to be sealed through a Special Charge Scheme.

Special Charge Schemes

A Special Charge Scheme is a charge levied on landowners who benefit from infrastructure works on assets affecting their property.

Implemented under the Local Government Act, a Special Charge Scheme allows Council to recover our capital investment from those who benefit directly from the works.

These works may include:

• sealed roads
• kerb and channel
• footpaths
• underground drainage
• car parking 
• streetscape
• advertising
• design works. 

Council calculates these charges based on the benefit to each included property.

Typically, Special Charge Schemes are initiated by residents via a petition signed by property owners indicating their interest in road construction. Download a Petition Template for a Special Charge Scheme(DOCX, 23KB).

Find out more by viewing Council's Special Rate and Special Charge Scheme Policy and Guidelines(PDF, 1MB)