General News
26 August, 2025
Council to lobby Victorian Government in push to retain local VicRoads service
Central Goldfields Shire Council (CGSC) is seeking the Victorian Government’s support to keep a fully funded comprehensive VicRoads Service in Maryborough.
The future of VicRoad’s operation in Maryborough has faced an uncertain future since the shire was contacted by VicRoads in July this year regarding changes to their funding model.
VicRoads previously reimbursed council for all costs for operating services, covering staff wages, rent, utilities and cleaning.
With Maryborough VicRoads now operating under a transaction based model, CGSC fears this will significantly reduce the revenue it receives for delivering services.
Since privatisation in 2022, Maryborough VicRoads has been operated by council, not the State Government or VicRoads.
CGSC mayor Grace La Vella said the new model implemented by VicRoads in July this year would cost ratepayers a significant amount if it goes ahead.
“As a small rural council, we can’t afford to subsidise a VicRoads responsibility,” she said.
“We dont want to see services reduced, but we can’t absorb cost shifting.”
Cr La Vella also said if VicRoads doesn’t want to fully fund the council to provide VicRoads services on its behalf, it should establish an office of it’s own in Maryborough and retain all of the current services.
“It’s critical for our local community that the government retain the full range of VicRoads services in Maryborough, which we have fully funded for years,” she said.
The VicRoads service in Maryborough was historically regarded as a sub-office of the VicRoads Bendigo office.
Until July 1 this year, VicRoads paid staff wages and on-costs, plus a contribution towards rent and overheads.
On that day, a new funding model was taken into effect, with VicRoads saying they would only pay council a fee for each transaction.
This amount is less than what was previously allocated to the council.
According to council, the Maryborough office processes more than 2000 transactions per month, compared with 170 per month at a neighbouring council’s agency.
Changing to the fee-for-trans-action model will cost council a significant amount in staff wages, rent and over heads.
Maryborough has the only VicRoads office of its type in the state, representing a partnership between the council and VicRoads to deliver comprehensive services through the council office with council staff who are 100 percent employed on VicRoads business.
VicRoads downgraded the status of its office last year from a Rural Customer Service Centre to an agency. No other VicRoads agency in the state provides driver licence testing or full vehicle inspections.
State leader of The Nationals and shadow minister for roads and road safety Danny O’Brien has also called on the State Government to save the position the Maryborough VicRoads office is in.
“There is no reason this office should be closing or being downgraded and the government should step in and fix this issue now,” he said.
“The agency is only at threat because the government and private operator are seeking to renege on the arrangement that has served Maryborough well for years, a fully funded agency offering more services than other VicRoads agencies and run by council.”
CGSC is currently reviewing the service to determine all available options and the cost implications.
No decision will be made until the review is complete.
An online community petition to save the agency, which has gained nearly 2000 signatures, will be put to a council meeting on Wednesday, August 27, for the shire to confirm its advocacy.