The vehicle – 115 metres long, 5.12 metres wide and 5.5 metres high – will be hauled by four trucks in an operation spanning three nights and will travel at an average speed of 15-20 km/h.

VicRoads acting director of heavy vehicle services Marc Paglia said the superload – a transformer – will be too big for other vehicles to overtake. 

“This is a complex and dynamic operation that has been months in the planning– we’ll be monitoring this convoy every step of the way to ensure the smoothest possible journey and the safest possible road network,” he said.

“We will have a convoy crew across the journey, preparing roads and structures ahead of time and assessing the area once it has passed.”

Starting from Geelong on Monday night, the superload will travel along the Princes Highway to Winchelsea, where it will park during the day on January 8. 

The second leg will start at 11pm on Tuesday and will travel along the Princes Highway from Winchelsea, turn right into Colac-Ballarat Road, travel to Beeac and park at Swan Marsh at 5am on Wednesday. 

The final leg will start at 11pm on Wednesday from Swan Marsh, and travel along the Princes Highway, then Stoneyford Road, before turning on to Camperdown-Lismore Road, heading north through Camperdown before continuing on and reaching Haunted Gully, near Lismore, by 5am on Thursday. 

Mr Paglia said south-west residents travelling on these nights were recommended to use the Hamilton Highway or plan ahead by allowing 30-45 minutes of additional travel time. 

“We’ll be escorting this convoy to help ensure a straight forward journey, but it’s important to note drivers may experience delays if they encounter this huge, rolling transport,” he said.