Council & Business
9 September, 2025
VicRoads future doubt sparks club fears
Members of local historic vehicle clubs fear their futures will be under threat if Maryborough loses its VicRoads agency.
While vehicle lovers are fractioned into their own clubs to rally and show off their valuable cars, Maryborough District Historic Vehicle Club (MDHVC), Dunolly Historic Vehicle Club (DHVC) and Pyrenees Historic Vehicle Club (PHV) are adamant they are united by their interests and support for each other.
But this time, they share major concerns for each of their futures, after members were made aware Maryborough’s VicRoads could be unable to continue since changes to their funding model earlier this year, with Central Goldfields Shire Council (CGSC) declaring it would be unable to afford services.
Their cars are registered under the Club Permit Scheme (CPS), over 25 years old and part of a VicRoads approved club.
They must be overseen by a VicRoads centre, in return for the required logbook, cheaper registration and brown plates.
These heritage clubs are fundamental in preserving vehicles of unique engineering, design and social history, keeping alive tangible relics of Australia’s automotive past.
But each of the clubs have numerous worries, from the impact of service moving online, to not being available at all.
DHV secretary Thea Hillier fears between the three clubs, there are an estimated five to six hundred people who could be impacted.
“What we are jumping up and down about, from a club perspective is we have got 500 plus members all of reasonable age, some of which don’t have computers,” she said.
“The arduous task of that is when you get a renewal, you have to then take it to a scrutineer in their club, who signs it off. That document then has to go to the VicRoads office here. It’s paid, it’s done, and everyone is happy.
“But if it closes, that means these people, who don’t have skills with computers, will have to print their plate registration, still have to get it signed off, scanned, and handed in, but it won’t be an instant thing, it will still mean that someone at the other end will then download it, it’s all the rigmarole they may have.”
MDHVC president Peter Gray fears with a loss of VicRoads services in Maryborough, the clubs will see a major collapse in future registrations.
“Clubs all around are having trouble trying to get younger members. We are, sadly, losing members due to age. I would say, a lot of them will back out of registering their cars. That will be the sad part of it. Or they will go to clubs in Ballarat,” he said.
DHVC president Malcolm Hillier agrees.
“Once a club member wants to join a club, and fulfils all of the requirements, they have to get a road worthy for that vehicle. They have to bring it to a scrutineer, which I’m a scrutineer for this club, and then it has to be filled out and brought to a VicRoads office. The initial process, for a first time member, is still a lengthy in person procedure,” he said.
Each club said they question if the shire is aware of the clubs’ reliance on these services.
“We don’t know if council understands. In recent times, I have had to explain it to one of the councillors because they weren’t aware of what this scheme was about,” Ms Hillier said.
They agree the clubs have a significant social element, with involvement in local community events and fundraisers where attendees share memories, knowledge and interest.
Angst has surfaced over the loss of this aspect.
“Working in aged care, I know the social aspect is a big part of what we do. A lot of my clients, I take them around to these events. As soon as they see these old cars, they come alive,” Mr Gray said.
“It will be sad, we have great fun on our outings. It is great to see the old cars out there. A lot of them will sell them, I would imagine.”
PHVC secretary Margaret Pilgrim agrees, witnessing the same in her club.
“We aim to encourage social activities, fellowships with other clubs and to support like minded organisations. It’s the preservation of our history. That is a huge thing. If you go back into the years of Holden vs Ford, that was a huge element of Australia’s history,” she said.
“We have lost that, but the CPS program has enabled vehicles that have been sitting in a shed for 50 years, maybe 100 years, to be restored, preserved, shown and enjoyed. If the CPS was abolished, they would go back into the shed and would never be seen again.
“While they are out and actually motoring around, the social aspect, the wellbeing and camaraderie between clubs is there. This club visits that club and they are welcome. They go to the pub or put on a barbecue, that social interaction is massive. That is an offshoot of it.”
Last Thursday, Member for Ripon Martha Haylett wrote directly to CGSC CEO Peter Harriot expressing serious concerns for local residents.
“I understand that VicRoads has proposed to transition the Maryborough agency to a different funding model, which every other agency in the state has been operating under since 2022, and that council is currently reviewing this model,” she said.
“I understand that the Maryborough agency currently returns a profit to council. Whilst I appreciate council’s desire to maintain this revenue stream, I would also urge you to consider the implications of council not providing these services to our community.
“This decision rests entirely with council, neither VicRoads nor the Victorian Government can force council to continue providing this service if it chooses not to.”
Ms Haylett has urged the shire to engage in further discussions with VicRoads to find a solution that can see the agency retained.
