City of Ballarat crews respond to hundreds of damage reports

The City of Ballarat has responded to more than 200 reports of damage stemming from recent rain events in the city. 

Ballarat has recorded more than 126mm of rain since 6 October, including 81mm in two days last week. 

Although the City has largely escaped major damage when compared to other parts of Victoria, City of Ballarat’s Operations team have been busy working to safely restore community assets. 

The Customer Service Team has received about 500 calls from the community relating to the rain event incidents, although several calls were duplicating reports of the same incidents. 

Repair crews have already responded to 214 jobs, mostly relating to road maintenance and repair, with drainage and pathway damage also featuring prominently. 

There were safety assessments conducted on 68 roads, resulting in roads being closed, safety signage being installed, or roads eventually being deemed safe for use. 

Six roads remain closed as crews work to conduct repairs as quickly as possible. 

A majority of road damage has occurred in the north-western areas of the municipality (see map below), while repair works have been conducted throughout the council area. 

*Note: red dots indicate incidents to which City of Ballarat has responded. Blue lines indicate roads that have been either closed, had safety signage installed or had water over the road.

City of Ballarat Chief Executive Officer, Evan King, said staff were working as quickly as possible, but pleaded for patience in the significant recovery effort. 

“We now have a solid understanding of the damage that has been caused in and around Ballarat and we have taken many steps towards recovery,” he said. 

“Our crews are going to extraordinary lengths to restore our infrastructure, but in some cases the damage is quite severe. 

“We also know there could be more rain on the way and although Ballarat escaped the worst of the damage, there is the possibility of further flooding events in the future. 

“Our thoughts go out to people in the northern parts of the state where many communities have already been severely affected, or where people are still waiting to see how high the river rises over the coming days.” 

Roads closed (as of Wednesday) 

Wallaby Track (Yarrowee River walking trail) near Ainley Street, Brown Hill 

Glendonald Road, between Lesters Road and Trewins Road, Coghills Creek 

McCartneys Road, from Sunraysia Drive to Highfield Road, Mitchell Park 

Eastern Peake Road, Mt Bolton 

Anderson Road, Tourello 

Hugh Glass Lane, Weatherboard 

Whitehands Road, Weatherboard 

What should people do during a flood event?  

If your property is currently at risk of flooding and you are seeking immediate assistance including to arrange sand bags, please call VICSES on 132 500.  

Is anyone’s life in danger? Call 000  

Are you seeking emergency help in a flood or storm because:   

• A tree has fallen and caused structural damage to your home or vehicle?   

• There is damage to your roof or it is leaking significantly?   

• A tree or large branch has fallen and is preventing you from entering or leaving your home?   

• Your property is flooded or about to flood?  

If YES call VICSES on 132 500. Your request for assistance will be logged by a 24/7 call centre. A local volunteer may then contact you for further details.  

If NO depending on your situation you should:   

• Contact your insurer to make a claim or arrange permanent repairs.   

• Contact a professional tradesperson to repair damage or remove debris, if required.  

To report a blocked drain, water over the road, or damage needing attention contact City of Ballarat online or call our Customer Service team on 5320 5500. 

Road Management Plan Suspension

As a result of the extensive flooding currently being experienced within the Municipality of the City of Ballarat, CEO Evan King has invoked Section 2.8 of the Road Management Plan, suspending all intervention response time frames for road defects as stipulated in Section 7.6 of the Road Management Plan as of 19 October 2022. The decision to invoke Section 2.8 is made in accordance with Section 83 of the Wrongs Act 1958. This partial suspension of the plan takes effect from 8pm on Wednesday 19 October 2022 and will remain in place until further notice.

This decision has been made taking into account the extent of damage caused to our road network by the extensive flooding and Council’s limited resources in making repairs in a timely manner. Council will continue to work hard to identify and rectify defects on a prioritised risk basis. 

The Road Management Plan will be reactivated in its entirety as soon as the events beyond Council’s control have abated.