Victoria floods: Roads ravaged by floods and councils left without funds to fix them

Widespread wet weather has created havoc on the state's roads and rail networks and left many councils unable to foot the repair bill.

Across the state 55 local government areas have been declared disaster zones, and on one day alone, October 19, there were more than 420 roads closed across Victoria due to wild weather and impacts from flooding.

Bendigo recorded its wettest ever October with 239.6 millimetres of rain and the wet weather has devastated roads.

The road repair bill is expected to exceed $10 million, but the extent of damage is still being assessed.

"Greater Bendigo has recorded approximately 1100 flood related defects and expects works such as grading, culvert repairs and major dig-outs to be ongoing until September 2023," City of Bendigo director presentation and assets Brian Westley said.

"Some roads, for example Spillway Road along the top of the Lake Eppalock Spillway, has suffered extensive damage and may require full reconstruction. These types of projects are expected to cost millions and take multiple years to undertake."

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In Ballarat, unsealed roads suffered the most extensive damage, City of Ballarat director infrastructure and environment Bridget Wetherall said.

"There has been a 190 per cent increase in road maintenance jobs required, compared to the same time last year," she said.

The road repair bill is currently estimated to cost $800,000 but final assessments are still being conducted.

Campaspe Shire Council area suffered widespread flooding, particularly in Echuca and Rochester, but the council declined to answer questions from ACM.

Mildura Rural and Warrnambool city council also did not respond to ACM's queries about the flood damage costs to local roads.

Shadow Minister for Roads Danny O'Brien said Victoria's "roads are in a parlous state and have been for many years".

"The floods and wet weather have no doubt caused extensive damage, but the Labor Government is kidding itself if it thinks the roads crisis has only developed in recent months," he said.

"Cuts to the roads maintenance budget of over $200 million in the past two years have been a huge part of the problem."

Minister for roads Melissa Horne declined to answer any questions from ACM, and instead provided a statement from the Office of the Premier of Victoria.

The statement said more than 500 crew members have undertaken more than 5400 road inspections, found and fixed more than 113,000 potholes, assessed 1700 bridges and attended a total of 36 landslips as part of our emergency road repair blitz.

Also, a $165 million emergency road repair blitz package announced in October would focus on some of the most badly flood-damaged roads, key freight and travel routes, including the Hume, Western, Midland and Goulburn Valley highways.

"This blitz is ensuring that the towns hit hardest by flooding remain connected to vital supplies and services. Now we're also turning our attention towards the first stage of longer-term, larger-scale repair," a government spokesperson said.

"We finally have a partner in Canberra focused on delivering the infrastructure and services Victorians need, and we will continue to work with them to provide support to flood-affected communities."

"We have rebuilt or resurfaced more than 14,500 kilometres of regional and metropolitan roads to ensure quality and safety - the largest road maintenance program in Victoria's history."

Mr O'Brien said councils in flood affected areas need further help from state and federal governments.

"One thing state Labor could do is bring back the Country Roads and Bridges program that it axed in 2015. That program provided funds to local councils to improve their roads and we committed to reintroduce it at the recent election. It's the least Labor could do to help councils fix our damaged roads," he said.