This was one of the best examples I’ve seen of operators and management working together to drive improvement. Crews were highly receptive to learning and applying industry best practice, particularly moisture conditioning before spreading and compacting — even with difficult materials affected by leaf, bark and a lack of clay. When engagement exists at every [...]
Seriously impressed by West Wimmera Council’s commitment to improvement in rural Victoria. I’ve just finished three weeks in the field delivering one of the most comprehensive unsealed roads workshops I’ve been involved in. Together, we worked through practical options to improve unsealed road performance, including moisture conditioning approaches, material selection, gravel shoulder recovery using grid [...]
Why Waratah–Wynyard’s Approach Could Redefine Unsealed Road Standards Waratah–Wynyard Council is demonstrating what’s possible when innovation, skill, and best practice come together in unsealed road management. Through recent on‑ground works, the Waratah–Wynyard team has been pushing boundaries in road maintenance by focusing on: ✔ Optimum moisture control prior to spreading, achieving superior compaction outcomes. ✔ [...]
Southern Downs have cracked two of the most common issues in unsealed road maintenance — and the results speak for themselves. 1️⃣ Right Capacity, Right Time Most councils struggle with moisture, production, and water delivery. Southern Downs solved it by combining two crews when water or capacity is tight. One water truck + two crews [...]
Brewarrina Shire Council recently reinforced the importance of correct watering practices as part of its approach to effective moisture conditioning in unsealed road maintenance. Key practices included watering the pavement prior to cutting, and adding water to the material windrow until moisture is consistent before spreading. While these steps can seem straightforward, they are critical [...]
Hilltops Council is leading the way in unsealed road maintenance with a focus on grading consistency and resource optimisation- directly improving road performance, crew efficiency, and community outcomes. Key insights from field trials: 🔹Medium grading road passes are uniform across crews, with consistent standard of 3 to 4 passes, focusing on key quality outcomes. 🔹Windrow [...]
Banana Shire Council is leading the way in unsealed road maintenance with one of the most efficient scheduling systems in the industry. Crews follow a structured and published sequence of roads in each region, while urgent repairs are managed by quick-response team—ensuring minimal disruption and maximum productivity. Roads are graded at intervention thresholds to avoid [...]
Spent Two weeks in Isaac Regional Council running an unsealed road workshop – and I’m seriously impressed. ✅ 2,000+ km of unsealed roads to maintain ✅ Remote camp setup with Starlink – best I’ve seen ✅ One of the few councils with a full QA system for unsealed roads This workshop was all about fine-tuning [...]
Central Highlands Regional Council maintains a vast network of over 3,000 km of unsealed roads, grading up to 70% of the network and delivering over 100 km of gravel resheeting annually. 🔑 What drives their success? A proven, proactive community engagement model that uses targeted group emails to keep residents informed and reduce disruptions. To further [...]
Transforming challenges into opportunities, Buloke Shire Council is raising the bar in managing their 4,000km unsealed road network. Through a comprehensive review of their operations, they’re adopting best practices and building a roadmap for sustainable success. ✅ Enhancing Operational Practices: • Improved communication and refined standards through in-field grading and resheeting reviews. • Empowered the [...]
