VicRoads regional director Mark Koliba said resurfacing work would begin on Cobden-Port Campbell Road within the next two months.

Mr Koliba said crews would work on 1.5 kilometres of the road before wet weather sets in.

“Later this year and into early next year (when the weather is fine again), eight kilometres of repair and resurfacing works will be undertaken on Cobden-Port Campbell Road,” he said. 

“These improvement works are being undertaken to smooth the road surface and are part of our commitment to fixing and repairing roads for communities who rely on these roads every day.” 

Work is also under way to repair a landslip on the road at Devils Gully, has reduced traffic to one lane since September. VicRoads is building a 30-metre retaining wall and resurfacing 300 metres of the road.

Corangamite Shire slammed the condition of the Cobden-Port Campbell Road last week, with councillor Simon Illingworth saying the state government would have blood on its hands if work to repair the road was not done quickly.

“The road shows evidence of heavy braking and near misses with significant skid marks clearly able to be seen on many different sections of the road, particularly at Newfield just north of Port Campbell,” Cr Illingworth said.

Corangamite Shire said the Cobden-Port Campbell Road was a key tourist route with many of the 2.6 million annual visitors to the Twelve Apostles driving west along the Great Ocean Road, then travelling north from Port Campbell and back to the Princes Highway.

It estimates $55 million in funding is needed to bring its state government-managed roads across the shire up to scratch.

“Putting up signs and completing temporary treatments has clearly not worked so it is time for a major funding announcement from the state government for our roads,” Cr Illingworth said.

Corangamite Shire mayor Jo Beard said residents and tourists deserved better and described temporary treatments as a “band-aid” approach that did not work.

“There is no way people in Melbourne would put up with a road in this condition so why should we have to. We deserve better and it is time for action from the state government,” she said.