GLENELG Highway users between Casterton and Mount Gambier continue to play Russian Roulette with wildlife and logging trucks and machinery, despite road authority assurances that problem vegetation would be dealt with.

Coastal (or sallow) wattle, while not a declared pest plant, was identified in a 2018 South Australian Natural Resources South East group report as problem along both the Casterton-Penola Road and Glenelg Highway between Mount Gambier and Casterton.

At that time, a major focus was the issue it posed for logging companies, spreading into plantations and impeding harvesting and maintenance operations.

Since that time, the wattle has continued its spread along those roads, with road users now fearful of a serious accident or fatality, due to visibility issues caused by roadside vegetation.

In late March, Casterton News reported concerns from several residents who regularly travelled from Casterton to Strathdownie or Mount Gambier, via the Glenelg Highway, where the wattle’s spread had increased to the point where vegetation was hanging over the sealed road, completely concealing road shoulders and access roads to timber plantations.

At that time, Department of Transport Acting Regional Director for Barwon South West, Aj Armstrong said the Glenelg Highway was inspected fortnightly and the department planned to carry out vegetation removal and pruning of 600 metres of roadside vegetation near the Glenelg Highway’s intersection with Doughboy Road, “in the coming weeks”.

Paul Jones drives to work at a Strathdownie property every day and said he was aware of “an inspector’s” presence at the site, but  despite a work crew’s attendance at the stretch of road between Cawker Creek and Doughboy Road since then, little had been done to alleviate the problem caused by the overgrown wattle.

“They were out there the day the paper came out … they were trimming back the trees, they were gone at the end of the day and they haven’t been back,” Mr Jones said.

“They didn’t even do the bit that’s the problem and they said, what? 600 metres … there’s not that much they’ve cut back.

“It’s a real problem, you can’t see the ‘roos coming out and if a log truck comes out of that plantation, there’s no way he can see if there’s any cars coming, there’s no way a car can see them coming out, until they’re on the road, in front of the traffic.

“I was talking to a local truck driver, he’s heading to the mount, he saw the inspector, he got on the UHF and said it was a load of bullsh**, the mess that’s out there.

“Another driver got on the radio and said you’re lucky you can talk to him, because he never talks to me.

“The truck drivers hate it because it hits their mirrors, scrapes all down the side of their trucks.

“When I get to the Nine Mile (Cawker Creek), I slow down to 80 and I straddle the white line to try and avoid the ‘roos, but you can’t do that if there’s a truck coming.

“At least I’ve got decent bars on my ute … any little car would be in trouble.”

A visit to the stretch of road between Cawker Creek and Doughboy Road on Monday revealed some trimmed vegetation on both sides of the Glenelg Highway.

The work appeared to be less than the 600 metres indicated by Mr Armstrong in March and did not include the adjacent section, where vegetation is overhanging the sealed road.

The department was contacted for comment, but did not respond to requests prior to deadline.

Any feedback will be published in next week’s edition.