Council
11 June, 2026
Yarriambiack satisfaction improves, but Warracknabeal residents flag roads
Warracknabeal residents have given the Yarriambiack Shire Council one of its strongest local ratings in the latest Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey, but sealed roads remain a clear concern for the community.
The 2026 survey showed Yarriambiack Shire Council recorded an overall performance index score of 61, up five points from 2025 and above both the small rural council average of 60 and the statewide average of 57.
Warracknabeal residents rated the council’s overall performance slightly higher than the shire-wide result, giving the council a score of 62, up from 55 in 2025.
Mayor Andrew McLean welcomed the result, saying it reflected progress across key service areas.
“These results are encouraging and demonstrate the progress we are making across a broad range of services,” he said.
“It’s particularly pleasing to see improvements in key areas such as community engagement, consultation and overall Council direction.”
The council improved in 11 of 12 performance areas, with customer service remaining stable.
However, the condition of sealed local roads remained the council’s lowest-rated area, despite improvement.
The shire-wide score for sealed local roads was 42, up from 35 last year, but still below the small rural average of 48 and the statewide average of 46.
In Warracknabeal, the sealed roads score was 47, a significant improvement of 12 points from 35 in 2025.
Warracknabeal was also the highest-rated ward in the shire for sealed local roads, ahead of Dunmunkle at 39 and Hopetoun at 37.
A tailored survey question asking residents to identify sealed local roads of concern identified several roads connected to or near Warracknabeal.
The most commonly named roads were Horsham-Minyip Road, Warracknabeal-Beulah Road, and Henty Highway, each listed by five per cent of respondents who rated sealed roads as average, poor, or very poor.
Other roads raised included Borung Highway, Murtoa-Glenorchy Road, and Birchip-Rainbow Road, each at three per cent.
Warracknabeal-related roads also appeared further down the list, with Warracknabeal-Rainbow Road mentioned by two per cent, while Stawell-Warracknabeal Road and Jeparit-Warracknabeal Road were each mentioned by one per cent.
More than half of respondents (57 per cent) said they were unsure, could not name a specific road, or referred to all roads in general.
A further 27 per cent selected “other”, showing concerns were spread across a wide range of roads rather than concentrated on one location.
Cr McLean said the council understood road conditions remained a major issue for residents, but many of the roads raised were not managed by the council.
“We acknowledge that road conditions are a key concern for our community,” he said.
“While council continues to prioritise investment in our local road network, many of the issues raised relate to state-managed roads.
“We will continue to advocate strongly to both State and Federal Governments for increased funding to address our road renewal gap and improve outcomes for our region.”
The survey also showed strong results for recreational facilities, the council’s highest-rated service area, with a score of 70.
Waste management scored 67, elderly support services 64, business and community development and tourism 60, community decisions 60, consultation and engagement 59, and lobbying 59.
Customer service remained the council’s strongest core measure, with a score of 68, unchanged from 2025.
The survey was conducted by JWS Research, with 400 residents and ratepayers aged over 18 interviewed across the municipality.
The Warracknabeal district accounted for 171 actual survey responses, with a weighted base of 173.
The survey was conducted across four quarters from June 30, 2025, to March 15, 2026.
Cr McLean said the findings would help guide the council’s future priorities.
“Community feedback is central to our decision-making, and these results will help shape our priorities, ensuring we continue to deliver services that meet the needs and expectations of our community,” he said.