In the quiet Victorian town of Lang Lang, peace lasts only moments before B-double trucks rumble through narrow main streets every 72 seconds. These massive vehicles, hauling two semi-trailers, transport sand from local quarries to construction sites across greater Melbourne at a rate of 50 trucks per hour, based on Cardinia Shire Council data.
Residents endure constant noise, pollution, and heightened risks to children and the elderly. For over two decades, the community has demanded a bypass to reroute heavy traffic around the town center, passing landmarks like the bakery, community center, and primary school.
Resident Frustrations Mount
Brian Candy, a Westernport Road resident since 2002, describes the bypass as a legendary promise with no progress. “That truck bypass is starting to become a bit of a legend. It may be spoken about, but there’s been nothing done,” Candy says. He adds, “You’re just a forgotten place sometimes … we feel very let down.”
Farmer Allan Bullen blames the town’s border position across Cardinia, Bass Coast, and South Gippsland shires for neglect. “Everything’s being spent in Melbourne. We can’t get a thing … [The town] you see now, if it’s still here in 10 years, you’ll be lucky,” Bullen warns. He fears tragedy looms: “Someone will eventually be killed in the main street … and that might change it, but I don’t want to see a road built because somebody sacrificed their life.”
Population Growth Fuels Tensions
Lang Lang’s population surged nearly 40 percent from 1,585 in 2016 to 2,556 in 2021, per census data. Yet no infrastructure upgrades, including the bypass, have materialized despite the boom.
Quarry Expansion Looms Large
The region supplies critical sand for Victoria’s construction sector, with 10 major quarries operating and more possible under a proposed Strategic Extractive Resource Area (SERA). Public consultation on the SERA occurred in late 2024, with a decision initially slated for late 2025. However, the plan remains under review.
A state government spokesperson emphasizes, “Strengthening planning controls around SERAs will ensure Victoria retains access to the vital raw materials needed to keep building new homes, hospitals, schools and infrastructure the state needs.” They add, “We’ll continue to work with the local council to understand heavy vehicle movements through this region.”
Council Pushes for Funding
Cardinia Shire Council prioritizes the bypass, seeking $57 million from state and federal governments. Mayor Brett Owens states, “There is a strong need for additional sand across the state, and obviously Lang Lang is particularly important for that industry.” He insists, “We’ve always said that for the quarries to be extended [and] expanded, this bypass must occur.”
Families Driven Away
The toll is personal. In August 2025, Dianne and Bob Comber relocated to Sale after 20 years in Lang Lang. Bob recalls, “We used to have our lounge room facing towards the pub near the roundabout. We had to move it further into the house because [of] the noise. You couldn’t hear the TV, you couldn’t have a conversation.” Dianne laments, “We were going to live there forever. But we just couldn’t put up with it in the end.” She notes, “[The bypass] has been promised for so long.”
