General News
24 February, 2026
Swift parrot habitat: What’s behind delays in overtaking lane start
A STATE Government department says it “looks forward to updating the community on progress” of the long-delayed start on construction of Calder Highway overtaking lanes at Derby.
But the Department of Transport and Planning is still to set a date for bulldozers to move onto the site despite the project originally scheduled to be finished two years ago.
A department spokesperson has told the Loddon Herald that its continues to progress planning work. The plans change earlier designs made by the department in early 2024.
Engineering company SMEC was engaged by the department and told the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water that “unavoidable design adjustments were required in order to improve access from the north for larger vehicles, as well as address property access issues due to the installation of a centre barrier” near Marong.
“As a result, DTP have designed a wider sealed shoulder on the west side of the road opposite the driveway within the existing table drain, and a slight realignment and upgrade of the driveway.
“However, this will result in a small additional area of impact to the EPBC Act-listed grey box grassy woodland threatened ecological community and slight adjustment of impacts to the total number of swift parrot foraging trees, SMEC said in an application to vary approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
Read More: Derby