Western Highway Buangor-Ararat gets extra A$446m, works from November
The almost 12-kilometre section gains a lane in each direction and is expected to be finished by 2029, the release says.
- Source Briefing
- Public record
The Premier of Victoria’s office said on Friday 30 October that major construction on the Western Highway between Buangor and Ararat in western Victoria is planned to start in November, backed by an additional A$446 million from the Albanese and Carroll Labor governments.
Why it matters
For contractors and freight operators, this is a funded, dated job on a western Victorian corridor. The release calls the Western Highway a major undivided national route for trucks and visitors. The Buangor to Ararat stretch runs almost 12 kilometres and gets an extra lane each way.
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New centre medians and safety barriers are meant to cut crash risk, the release says, and the design has been revised for safety and efficiency. It does not say what was changed.
For another Victorian state-level item, see our report on the data centre queue and the minister’s caretaker deadline. The funding comes from the 2026/27 State and Federal Budgets. The release ties delivery of the project to the extra A$446 million, a joint commitment by both governments.
The numbers
The release puts total investment at around A$1.17 billion once the earlier Ballarat to Buangor duplication, delivered as part of the Western Highway Upgrade, is counted. Of that, A$970.9 million is from the Australian Government and A$195.8 million is from the Victorian Government.
The release does not say how the A$446 million is split between the two governments, or how it relates to the A$1.17 billion total. It also does not name a contractor or give a project cost for the Buangor to Ararat section alone.
Completion is expected by 2029. Early works have started and lead into the major earthworks.
What’s next
Major construction is planned to start in November, according to the release. The release does not give a start date within November or a staging plan.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King said in the release that it is time to get the work done after years of delays. Victorian Roads and Road Safety Minister Paul Hamer said the upgrade means a safer trip for locals, tourists and truck drivers.
Ripon MP Martha Haylett said: “This is the number one project Ararat wants to see done, and I’m so glad we’re getting on with it.”
The release’s timeline is construction from November and completion by 2029.
Source: Premier of Victoria media release, 30 October 2026. Reporting by The Australian Developer.
Quick answers
What are the key numbers in this story?
extra funding: A$446m; total investment: A$1.17b; expected completion: 2029.
Where does this information come from?
This story cites Premier of Victoria, including the public record (Premier of Victoria). Every source is linked on the page.
Filed by the AusDev Melbourne Desk. How we report.