Golden Point Road Parking and Traffic Analysis for Expedition Pass Res

Project typeParking and traffic analysis
Project scheduleCompleted

Mount Alexander Shire Council completed a parking and traffic analysis for Expedition Pass Reservoir on Golden Point Road in April 2022.

The reservoir is a popular freshwater recreation site used year‑round by residents and visitors, with particularly high visitation during warmer months. Located within the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park, the site attracts swimmers, walkers, cyclists and families, yet has only one small access point and no formalised parking. This creates significant safety concerns for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists navigating the narrow roadside environment.

The study assessed existing conditions and identified several key issues, including high levels of pedestrian and vehicle activity, informal roadside parking, limited visibility, constrained road width and increased seasonal demand.

The project documented vehicle and pedestrian movements, analysed parking habits along Golden Point Road and engaged with regular reservoir users to promote safer behaviour and greater awareness of road conditions.

The study identified both short‑term and long‑term options to improve safety at the site.

Short‑term measures focused on immediate risk reduction and included:

addressing trip hazards such as removing the stump from the broken reflective post and improving the surface of the unsealed gravel area
improving parking arrangements to reduce risks for pedestrians
encouraging lower vehicle speeds through a permanent 60 km/h limit, with a 40 km/h seasonal reduction during warmer months
installing signage to regulate parking in unsealed areas
improving driver guidance in low‑light conditions with Raised Reflective Pavement Markers (RRPMs)
installing warning signs to alert motorists to turning traffic near the gravel parking area

All short‑term warning and directional signage identified in the concept plan has now been installed, improving clarity for drivers and reducing immediate safety risks around the reservoir.

Longer‑term measures were designed to support safer access and more structured parking arrangements, including:

providing safe, convenient and separate pedestrian access via the existing northern path and a new roadside path along Golden Point Road
maintaining a small amount of short‑term angled parking near the reservoir with regulated signage
creating a separate parking area on Llewellyn Road, including space for large and long vehicles such as buses
installing guard rail near the Beach parking area
retaining RRPMs and other hazard‑mitigation measures identified in the short‑term plan

The study produced concept designs, identified planning approval requirements including cultural heritage and vegetation considerations, and recommended infrastructure improvements to address driver behaviour and traffic safety risks.

Council will continue implementing the seasonal 40 km/h speed reduction from December to April each year along the one‑kilometre section of Golden Point Road near the reservoir.

Future detailed design and construction of safety upgrades will depend on funding availability. This project was funded by the 2020 TAC Local Government Grant Program.

Any future construction works will need to be undertaken in close liaison with Parks Victoria and will require external funding support. Council is also working with the Department of Transport and Planning to introduce a permanent 60 km/h speed limit around the reservoir, with a seasonal reduction to 40 km/h during the summer months. This change is expected to be implemented by late 2026 or early 2027.