ONE TRAGIC fatality and another accident waiting to happen according to local residents of Chisholm Road Wonthaggi who want the current 100km/h speed limit on Chisholm Road to be halved.
“None of the locals travel at 100km/h on Chisholm Road because it’s too dangerous,” said resident and beef farmer Coral Donat who is angry Bass Coast Shire Council has done nothing to slow traffic down.
Residents claim Chisholm Road is slippery when its wet and dusty and full of potholes when its dry.
“Gravel is lost from the road because of vehicles travelling at high speeds,” Coral said.
“Passing traffic sends up clouds of dust.”
A fatal accident in March this year on adjoining Campbell Street in which an elderly woman and her neighbour’s dog were killed is currently before the courts.
“Chisholm Road is not strong enough to support high speed vehicles,” said Ms Donat.
“You’re likely to end up in all sorts of problems.”
Twelve landholders in the area including residents of Grasstree Court which adjoins Chisholm Road have signed a petition to reduce the speed limit to between 50km/h and 70 km/h.
“It’s only 2km of road and a lower speed limit would only add a minute or two to travel times.”
Ms Donat said there had been a number of accidents on the road including a vehicle driven by a young driver that ended up in a drain full of water.
“Another driver who went through a fence, was lucky to walk away alive,” she said.
Chisholm Road no longer connects to any other roads only walking tracks.
“Speeding motorbikes use the road and can be a problem at higher speeds,” said Coral.
Wildlife crossing the road from adjacent bushland includes emus, kangaroos, brown wallabies, lyrebirds, snakes, wombats and echidnas.
“The road has a loose surface which makes it difficult to stop.”
Coral contacted Bass Coast Shire Council as recently as last week but is yet to receive a satisfactory response.
“I’m angry about it,” said Coral.
“Everybody wants a lower speed limit.
“It’s a farming zone.”
Coral claimed she lost her confidence driving because of the condition of Chisholm Road.
“It’s affected my health, I’ve become a nervous driver,” she said.
Bass Coast Shire Council said a speed zone change for the section of Chisholm Rd from Campbell Street to Grasstree Court is in progress and is still estimated to occur in January 2026.
The changes are subject to a State Government approval process.
Correspondence has been received from concerned residents and Council is working to submit an application for further reductions on Chisholm Road. Community engagement on this proposal will open on Engage Bass Coast later this year.
Council is not authorised to change speed limits but is responsible for applying to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) who is the authorising authority to change speed limits on Council-managed roads.