Great Ocean Road Update
December 2, 2016
VicRoads would like to provide the Great Ocean Road community a progress report of the ongoing landslide stabilisation works near Wye River and Separation Creek.
Information about current construction, facade consultation and plans for summer works are below.
Current works
Paddy’s Path
Drivers might have noticed increased activity at the landslide site in the past week. A row of steel soldier piles have been anchored into the ground, creating the frame for the concrete panels. Some panels have already been slotted into place. Despite recent wet weather, construction is still on track to be completed by Christmas.
500m east of Separation Creek
Works at the landslide site below the road 500m east of Separation Creek are almost complete. Two of the three concrete retaining walls have been installed. These works are also scheduled for completion before the busy summer period.
Facade consultation
Your feedback is important to us and we want the community to have a say in the eventual appearance of the roadside retaining wall at Paddy’s Path. VicRoads has sourced three rock varieties from local quarries as options for the rock basket facade to be attached in early 2017.
The options will be presented at the community meetings in Wye River on 10 December and Melbourne on 13 December. Interested residents will then be encouraged to vote on their preference in an online poll, hosted by WyeSep Connect – similar to that conducted by GroCon for retaining walls earlier this year. We look forward to working with you on this outcome.
Works in 2017
VicRoads is finalising its plans for summer construction works. Some landslide stabilisation activity might resume after Christmas from mid January higher up the embankment at Paddy’s Path, however, this will not impact traffic flow. Further works, including the tapering of the retaining wall at either end and the facade, will recommence in mid February. VicRoads has identified additional medium-risk landslide locations between Wye River and Separation Creek, which are currently being investigated for stabilisation works next year.
Community
VicRoads will move its site compound from the Great Ocean Road in Separation Creek to a more discrete location this month. We appreciate the community’s feedback regarding the compound’s temporary and future location. We would also like to thank the community for its patience and understanding during the nightworks east of Separation Creek and the Great Victorian Bike Ride last week.
Weather
Recent rain has not caused any significant movement at Paddy’s Path. Our geotechnical equipment is constantly monitoring the site for movement and saturation. We don’t expect this week’s weather to trigger the threshold for a road closure, however, we will not hesitate to do so if movement is detected and safety is compromised. The chart below shows movement and rainfall detected since late September.
More information
We now have a designated webpage for Great Ocean Road landslide information and traffic conditions.
To sign up to our E bulletin distribution list email
Up to date information can also be found on the VicTraffic website and app or by calling 13 11 70.