The road is unsealed between Lowe Street and McNeil Street and is one of about 77 unsealed roads managed by the council.

The petition, received by council at it's November 2018 meeting, stated the following:

'We write to you as residents who live in proximity to, or have property access adjoining Waratah Avenue, Ararat.

'A number of requests have been made over the years to consider sealing the top section of Waratah Avenue, Ararat.

'There are a number of reasons for this request, with two most pertinent being to reduce the dust created by the traffic that use this road, and reduce the risk of serious accident due to the way in which some traffic use Waratah Avenue.

'The traffic that use this unsealed road is growing substantially, as is the amount of times vehicles are seen and heard driving dangerously, at high speeds and deliberately in an unsafe manner.

'There have been many ‘close calls’. 

'We are requesting a meeting with members of council on site to discuss concerns and options for making Waratah Avenue a safer road for both residents and road users.'

Council staff, including chief officer Dr Tim Harrison, met with the residents over the holiday period to investigate the concerns.

At the council's February meeting, Ararat mayor Councillor Peter Beales spoke in favour of the petition.

"Having lived for 10 years on a road that was a dead end and then a thoroughfare, dust gets into your water and everything you do," he said.

"It's horrible and I'm happy to support the motion." 

Council stated that requests from residents to seal roads and laneways were common and a petition would not guarantee a road priority, but it would inform decision making.

'Responding to the Waratah Avenue residents' request will clearly bring satisfaction to the affected residents.

'It is important to note that the Acacia Caravan Park faces one side of Waratah Avenue and there are permanent caravan park residents effected (sic) by noise, dust and road safety issues as well as the other Waratah Avenue residents.'

The estimated cost to reseal the road is $135,618 and will be completed under council's 2019-20 Capital Works Program.

Council also stated it seals one or two roads per year, and that it had received requests to seal Currajong Avenue, King Street, Rundell Street, Leatherwood Drive, Truscott Street and Crebbins Lane. 

Also at the February meeting, council received a petition from home owners and businesses located at the end of Rundell and Maude Streets, Ararat.

The petition stated the following:

'We the home owners and businesses at the end of Rundell Street and Maude Street, Ararat, would like to state that we have a problem with the unsealed road.

1. The dust that is made due to local traffic and the water trucks is unhealthy;

2. The noise due to local traffic and the water trucks is loud. We request that you could look at this problem and address it. Looking forward to hearing from you on this issue.'

The council formally accepted the petition and it will be considered at the March 2019 meeting on the 19^th.

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