Busselton farmers hit bump in the road

The City of Busselton and the Water Corporation are shirking responsibility for a rural road which has become so muddy it is impossible to pass, farmers say.

Marybrook Road is an unsealed north-south single carriageway which connects Caves Road to Vasse Yallingup Siding Road.

The road has a number of potholes which have become filled with mud and water due to recent rains.

One hole is so big that ordinary vehicles are currently unable to pass through it, and a Busselton City councillor recently needed help after his vehicle got bogged there.

Farmer Graham Carter, whose property adjoins the road, said it had been abandoned by the council and had fallen into a dangerous state.

Last year Mr Carter put in a maintenance request to the City and got a reply from operation services manager George Workman stating the road ran on land vested in the Water Corporation.

“The road is an unnamed service road suitable for emergency traffic only,” the letter states.

Water Corporation South West regional manager Scott Moorhead confirmed the utility had owned a parcel of land adjacent to Marybrook Road since 1988 for drainage purposes.

However, he said the road was not under their jurisdiction.

“The maintenance of Marybrook Road is the responsibility of the City of Busselton,” he said.

Mr Carter claimed the argument the road was suitable for emergency traffic only was not valid.

He said GPS devices showed the road as connecting Caves Road to Vasse, and it was a trap for unsuspecting motorists.

Mr Carter cited a recent crash after the driver attempted to speed over pot holes.

“Why has the road got to the state it’s in now? Because of the traffic that uses it. There’s vehicles on the road all the time,” he said.

Farmer Ian Carter, whose property also fronts the road, agreed it was a concern.

“I barely go down there without a tractor because it’s pretty awful considering the rates we pay,” he said.

“Every winter it’s got worse because they don’t do anything about it.”

The City of Busselton was contacted for comment.