WHAT’S the hold up?
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has formally tabled a petition in federal Parliament calling on the House of Representatives and state government to work together to progress the long-awaited Traralgon bypass.
Signed by more than 1300 Gippslanders, the petition demands funding to finalise the design, approvals and costings for the proposed Princes Highway bypass, with the aim to commence construction and deliver the project by 2030.
“Despite being discussed for more than 40 years, plans to build a bypass around Traralgon have stalled because of a lack of action by Labor governments at both the state and federal levels,” Mr Chester told Parliament.
“At the 2025 federal election, the Coalition committed $5 million to work with the Victorian government to finalise the design, approvals and costings for the bypass. Without a final design, we can’t move to detailed costings, a business case or construction.
“Unfortunately, the Labor Party has shown little interest in progressing a project that would deliver significant social, economic and environmental benefits for Gippsland.”
The Transport Victoria website says that planning for the bypass can continue once critical information about the rehabilitation of the Loy Yang Mine becomes available.
“Given the proximity to the Loy Yang open cut, construction of a bypass on the gazetted alignment may impact on options for rehabilitation of the Loy Yang mine,” Transport Victoria says.
“We are continuing to work with Earth Resources, the Mine Land Rehabilitation Authority, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and the state government to understand the requirements of mining and mine rehabilitation now and into the future.
“Once these requirements are established, the Department of Transport and Planning will be in a better place to provide further information about the progress of the Traralgon bypass.”
Mr Chester said the bypass remains one of the region’s most important transport infrastructure priorities and has strong support from councils and communities across Gippsland.
“Providing a Traralgon bypass would reduce congestion, improve safety and productivity, increase liveability for locals and boost the visitor economy,” he said.
“It would also create much-needed jobs during the construction phase and future-proof one of Victoria’s most important freight routes.”
Mr Chester said the project could also provide broader community benefits through improved flood mitigation.
“A study undertaken by the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority identified that a retarding basin in the proposed bypass corridor could form an important part of efforts to reduce flooding from Traralgon Creek,” he said.
The Latrobe Planning Scheme formalised a route for a proposed Traralgon bypass in 2009, and Regional Roads Victoria undertook a planning study for the bypass on behalf of the state government in 2017 and 2018.
Mr Chester said despite years of studies and community consultation, little progress had been made.
“According to Transport Victoria, extensive transport modelling has been completed, stakeholders have been consulted, and more than 88,000 people have been engaged throughout the planning process,” he said.
“But despite all that work, no final report has ever been released. Instead, we continue to hear excuses and bureaucratic platitudes about why the project can’t proceed.
“I’ve spoken directly with the operators of the Loy Yang mine, and the suggestion that uncertainty around mining operations is preventing further progress is complete and utter bureaucratic bulldust.”
Mr Chester said the bypass would become increasingly important as freight volumes continue to grow through the Latrobe Valley.
“There are now 15 intersections involving roundabouts and traffic lights between the eastern and western sides of Traralgon, and it can take 15 to 20 minutes, or much longer during peak periods, to travel through town,” he said.
“As freight volumes increase, Traralgon is becoming a significant bottleneck on the Princes Highway, affecting productivity, road safety and the amenity of the town itself.
“It is time for all levels of government to stop making excuses and start working together to deliver a final design and business case for this critical project.
“The time for action is now.”
