Buangor to Ararat

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

Ararat to Buangor Map

Moving toward construction

Timeline titled "Moving toward construction" showing completed project milestones: Design, Cultural Heritage Management Plan, Planning Scheme Amendment, Environmental approvals, Detailed construction plan, Mobilise crews, and Begin early works. The next milestone is "Late 2026" with major construction scheduled to start.

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.

FAQs

What consultation has there been with the local Aboriginal community?

We’ve been consulting with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC), the Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) for the Djab Wurrung country, which includes the project area, over several years.

Following extensive work with EMAC, who provided critical input to the updated project design, we have an approved Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP).

The improved design will deliver a safer, more efficient Western Highway while reducing the impact on Aboriginal cultural heritage and the environment.

A key change in the design includes shifting the new highway alignment slightly at Pope and Warrayatkin roads and closing Dobie Road at the Western Highway to avoid culturally and environmentally significant areas.

In every community there are a broad range of views. EMAC is the formally recognised Traditional Owner group that represents the Djab Wurrung people. We have, and continue to, respect their cultural authority to speak for Djab Wurrung country.

Read Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation media release here: https://easternmaar.com.au/mediarelease-emaccompleteschmpassessment/

What is a Cultural Heritage Management Plan?

A Cultural Heritage Management Plan identifies and assesses how the proposed project works may affect Aboriginal cultural heritage within the project area and sets out measures to protect and manage it before, during and after the works.

What is a Registered Aboriginal Party?

A Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) is a Traditional Owner organisation formally recognised under Victoria’s Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 to protect and manage Aboriginal cultural heritage in a defined area. Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation is the RAP for Djab Wurrung Country, which includes the project area.

What was the Victorian Ombudsman investigation and how has Big Build Roads and the Aboriginal community responded?

The Ombudsman investigated the planning and delivery of the project, with particular regard to concerns raised about protection of sacred Aboriginal sites.

The Ombudsman fills an important independent role in ensuring the public sector deals with Victorian communities fairly, and we appreciate their detailed attention to investigating concerns raised over the Western Highway Upgrade.

You can read the Investigation Report on the Victorian Ombudsman website.

Why is the upgrade needed?

The Western Highway is the major road link between Melbourne and Adelaide. Farming, grain production, regional tourism and a range of manufacturing services rely heavily on this highway.

The safety of the travelling public is our priority.

In the 10 years to March 2026, there have been 158 crashes on the Western Highway between Ballarat and Stawell, including 22 fatalities, and 92 people seriously injured, which is why it is vital for the safety of the community that this road is upgraded.

Since 2013, we have upgraded 55km of the Western Highway between Ballarat and Buangor.

Upgrades to the section of highway between Buangor and Ararat will further improve safety, reducing the risk of crashes by adding extra lanes, separating the east and westbound lanes, and installing safety barriers. These improvements will also make travel times more reliable.

When will the project be completed?

The project is expected to be completed in 2029.

While we build the upgrade, the safety measures the Department of Transport and Planning implemented after several devastating crashes on this section of highway will remain in place.

These include:

a speed reduction from 100km/h to 80km/h on a 1.2km stretch of road at the Langhi Ghiran rail overpass
‘High Risk Area’ warning signs
additional curve alignment markers (signs) which guide drivers around bends, indicating the direction and severity of a curve
additional ‘two-way road’ signs and painted arrows
extending the solid line barrier linemarking to prevent overtaking.

Overview

Map

Moving toward construction

Design

Protecting the environment and cultural heritage

FAQs

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