Overview
We’re getting on with upgrading the Western Highway between Buangor and Ararat, making your journey safer and more reliable.
With upgrades complete between Ballarat and Buangor, we’re starting work upgrading the 12 kms of Western Highway between Buangor and Ararat.
As the number of vehicles travelling along this section of the highway has significantly increased over the years, so too has the crash rate, with 158 crashes and 22 fatalities on the Western Highway between Ballarat and Stawell in recent years.
As part of the upgrade, we’ll:
- add an extra lane in each direction between Buangor and Ararat to make it safer to overtake
- add a centre median to separate the east and westbound carriageways, reducing the likelihood of vehicles accidentally veering into oncoming traffic
- install barriers to reduce the risk of collisions
- build a new interchange at Hillside Road to make it easier and safer for vehicles to enter and exit the Western Highway
- build new bridges over the railway line and the Hopkins River.
Map
Moving toward construction
Design
We’ve updated the project design to deliver a safer, more efficient Western Highway while reducing the impact on the environment and Aboriginal cultural heritage where possible.
Some of the changes we’ve made include shifting the new highway alignment at Pope and Warrayatkin roads and closing Dobie Road at the Western Highway to avoid culturally and environmentally significant areas.
We’re finalising the detailed designs and will share them here before construction starts in late 2026.
Protecting the environment and cultural heritage
Following extensive consultation with regulatory authorities and the Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP), our updated design reduces impacts on culturally significant places within and near the road alignment where possible, while reducing the impact on the surrounding environment.
In March 2026, the RAP approved the project’s Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP).
As part of the CHMP, Aboriginal cultural heritage within the project area was identified, assessed and recorded.
We’ve also improved the mitigation strategies for flora, fauna and other environmental impacts.
While we’ll build the new lanes through mostly cleared farmland, some tree removal is unavoidable.
We will only remove trees which will be directly impacted by new infrastructure. We're also working closely with qualified ecologists and arborists to retain and protect trees near the upgraded road.
What we do remove will be subject to strict controls in line with the project’s environmental and planning permits and the approved CHMP.
Where possible, timber from removed trees will be reused to create new wildlife habitats and control erosion, support cultural preservation, or will be donated to local community groups.
Construction update
From October, you’ll see more people working on site as we get ready for major construction.
We’ll install site compounds and build new and upgraded access tracks, which we’ll use to safely move workers, vehicles and equipment in and out of the works area during construction.
We’ll also start to make room to build the new lanes and road infrastructure. This will include clearing some trees and vegetation.
While we work, traffic management will be in place at times between 6am and 6pm, Mondays to Fridays.
You may encounter lane closures, speed reductions to 40km/h, temporary traffic lights or traffic controllers, and delays of up to 5 minutes.
For your safety, and the safety of our workers, please observe speed limits and signs and follow the directions of our traffic controllers. We recommend allowing extra time for your journey during these hours.
Access to properties will be maintained.
Weather conditions may affect our progress. Please see on-road signage or visit disruptions for the most up-to-date information.