Roads information

Maintenance for highways is managed directly by Transport for NSW (TfNSW). This specifically includes:

• M15 – Hunter Expressway
• HW9 – New England Highway

To Report Issues TfNSW:

• Phone: 131 700
• Online: TfNSW Road Request Page

Cessnock City Council performs routine maintenance (such as pothole repairs, slashing, and drainage) on most State Roads (except M15 & HW9) in our region on behalf of Transport for NSW.

To Report Issues to Council:

• Phone: (02) 4993 4100
• Online: CCC’s Road Request Page

Council is the designated Road Authority for all regional roads and local residential streets. These are maintained through a combination of Council rates and State Government grants.

Please report all road defects, grading requests, or hazards directly to Council.

To Report Issues to Council:

• Phone: (02) 4993 4100
• Online: CCC’s Road Request Page

Crown roads are owned by the State Government and are typically located in remote rural or semi-rural areas. These assets are managed by the State.

To Report an Issue or Make an Enquiry for Crown Roads:

• Phone: 1300 886 235 (8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Mon–Fri)
• Online: Crown Lands Online Enquiry Portal
•  Email:  enquiries@crownland.nsw.gov.au

Private roads are located on private property. All maintenance, repairs, and grading of private roads are the sole responsibility of the individual landowner(s) or the beneficiaries of the access arrangement (such as a 'Right of Carriageway'). All costs associated with the upkeep of a private road, including ensuring the road is safe for users and emergency service vehicles, rest entirely with the property owner.

In New South Wales, road safety is a partnership between Council (design) and the NSW Police (enforcement).

Council (Designing the Road): We make roads safer by including line marking, guard fence, speed humps, roundabouts, and signs to slow cars down. We use your reports to find dangerous spots that need addressing. It is important to note that Council cannot stop cars or give out speeding tickets.

Police (Enforcing the Law): The Police are the only ones who can stop drivers. They give out fines for speeding and poor driver behaviour. They also have the power to take away licenses or cars for dangerous driving.

If you are concerned about driver behaviour in your area, please use the appropriate channel below:

• Immediate Danger: If you are witnessing dangerous driving as it occurs, or if there is an immediate risk to life or property, call 000 immediately.
  
  
• Recurring Issues (Non-Urgent): To report persistent speeding or hooning in your neighbourhood, contact the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
  
  
• Anonymous Reporting: You can also provide information regarding illegal road activity via Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or through their online reporting portal.
  
  
• Suggesting a road safety change: Submit a request to Council via:
  • Phone: (02) 4993 4100
  •  Email: council@cessnock.nsw.gov.au

All traffic light installations, including their operation, timing, and physical maintenance, are the exclusive responsibility of the State Government (TfNSW).

To Report Issues TfNSW:

• Phone: 131 700
•  Online: TfNSW Road Request Page

If a streetlight is flickering, dim, or completely out, please report it directly to Ausgrid using their Streetlight Map or by calling 1800 044 808.

Electrical Emergencies: Call 000 immediately for any life-threatening situation.

For dangerous electrical faults, call Ausgrid on 13 13 88 (available 24/7). This includes:

• Fallen powerlines or damaged poles.
• Sparking wires or exposed equipment.
• Shocks or "tingles" from taps, pipes, or metal fittings.
• Open streetlight covers or exposed wiring.

Warning: Never report electrical emergencies online. If you see a fallen powerline, stay at least 8 meters (two car lengths) away and treat it as "live" and dangerous.

Inadequate Lighting & Glare: If you believe the lighting on your street is inadequate for safety, or if a streetlight is causing excessive glare into your property, please contact Council. We will investigate the site and, if necessary, coordinate with Ausgrid to install a glare shield or assess the need for additional infrastructure.

Submit a request to Council via:

• Phone: (02) 4993 4100
• Email: council@cessnock.nsw.gov.au

Please provide the specific location and the pole number (usually found on a metal plate on the pole) when contacting us.

You may need approval to display a sign. Advertising and signage in NSW is regulated by the NSW Government.

Planning, design and installation of signage in the Cessnock LGA is also regulated by our Signage Strategy and the Hunter Valley Wine Country Signage Strategy.

The installation of regulatory signage requires referral to the Cessnock Local Traffic Committee.

Council's banner poles can be hired for a fee by community groups and organisations.

View our Unsealed Road Maintenance Schedule(PDF, 251KB).

As per Cessnock City Council’s Existing Unsealed Council Roads Policy, Council will not undertake the sealing of any existing Council-managed gravel roads except under the following circumstances:

• Where the property owner(s) agrees to contribute one hundred percent (100%) of the total cost of the sealing works. Any such proposal must comply with Council’s Engineering Guidelines and receive prior written approval from Council, or
• The subject road has been identified for works within Council’s adopted 10-Year Strategic Plan and an external funding grant has been secured, and
• The properties situated on existing gravel roads have been notified of the road’s surface status through a Section 10.7 Planning Certificate issued under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

For a list of all unsealed roads which are maintained by Council, please refer to the Unsealed Road Maintenance Schedule in the below section. To access a complete list of all unsealed roads within the Cessnock Local Government Area, please contact Council on 4993 4100.

That depends on who owns the road. Council only maintains roads officially listed on our Unsealed Road Maintenance Schedule(PDF, 306KB). Many rural tracks are actually Crown Roads (owned by the State Government's Crown Lands division) or Private Roads (located entirely on private property). If the road is private, the property owners are fully responsible for its upkeep.

Unsealed (gravel) roads are highly vulnerable to weather. Heavy rain washes away the fine materials that bind the gravel together, and subsequent traffic quickly creates corrugations and potholes. Our grading crews work hard to restore road surfaces across the network.

Grading works are prioritised by condition and traffic volume to ensure the most effective use of resources. Sealing a gravel road is a high-cost capital project. Under our current policy, existing gravel roads remain unsealed unless the project is fully funded by property owners or we secure a specific external government grant.

Our road maintenance program is highly dependent on the weather. Rain events, flooding, or storm damage force us to reallocate our crews to emergency "make safe" tasks across the network. When this happens, our schedule may be delayed.

Patching is a crucial first step to make our roads safe. This immediate action protects vehicles and prevents the hazard from worsening. Resurfacing an entire street requires heavy machinery, road closures, and significant budget allocation, which is scheduled through our long-term capital works program. Please note, due to the extensive list of roads requiring attention and the limited budget available, the prioritisation is based on several factors, including available funding, the level of deterioration, and traffic data, ensuring that the most frequently used and highest-risk roads are attended to first.

Not always. While local roads are designed for everyday neighbourhood traffic, they are generally not built with the underlying pavement strength to withstand the constant heavy loads of commercial freight. Certain roads and bridges have strict size and load limits. If you have concerns about heavy vehicles violating load limits on a local street, please contact Council.

The maintenance of the nature strip (mowing and edging) and the driveway "crossover" (the section of your driveway that crosses the public footpath and gutter) is generally the responsibility of the adjoining property owner. If Council is undertaking major reconstruction works on your street, we will ensure your driveway access is reinstated to match the new road levels.

Under the Roads Act 1993, any activity that alters a public road or restricts traffic flow requires formal approval. Whether you are pouring a new concrete driveway crossover, digging a trench for plumbing, or hosting a neighborhood street fair, you must apply for a Section 138 permit from Council. This ensures that proper traffic control plans are in place to keep both the public and your workers safe.

Most resurfacing is preventative maintenance. Over time, bitumen becomes brittle and develops tiny cracks that may not be visible at a glance. These cracks allow water to seep under the surface and undermine the expensive pavement layer below.

By resurfacing a road before it "looks" broken, we stop water damage before it starts. This saves significant taxpayer money by avoiding the need for a full, costly pavement reconstruction later.

The installation of new kerb and guttering is a major infrastructure upgrade rather than routine maintenance. Council engineers assess and prioritise these projects based on stormwater management needs, such as areas with significant flooding or erosion, and the road classification, where busy collector roads are typically prioritized over local cul-de-sacs. To maximise efficiency, these works are often synchronized with larger, planned road reconstructions.

Under Section 217 of the Roads Act 1993 and Council's Contributions Levied for Kerb and Guttering Construction Policy, property owners are required to contribute to the cost of the new infrastructure. For most residential properties, this means a 50% contribution toward the construction costs for the length of their property frontage. Before any work begins, Council will provide you with a formal written notice detailing the estimated costs. Flexible payment plans and hardship assistance are available to help residents manage these contributions over time.

Please note that in rural or semi-rural areas, Council often maintains "water-sensitive" swales (grassy table drains) rather than concrete kerbs. This approach maintains the rural character of the neighbourhood.

Many older suburban and rural areas in the Cessnock LGA were originally designed with "open drain" systems, such as grass or earth swales, to manage runoff. While developers are now required to install concrete kerb and guttering in all new subdivisions, these assets are only introduced to established areas during full road reconstructions or if they are identified as a high priority within our Stormwater Management Plan.

When we perform a major road resurfacing or reconstruction, our engineers check the "levels" of the kerb and gutter. If the kerb has sunk or is uneven, it will prevent water from flowing to the pits. We replace these sections before laying the new road surface to ensure the new road doesn't fail due to water pooling at the edges.

If you wish to install or modify a kerb, gutter, or driveway crossing (crossover), you must obtain Section 138 Approval before any work begins. Our engineering team works hard to ensure all infrastructure within the road reserve is safe and built to last; therefore, all private works must strictly adhere to Council’s Engineering Standards.

To understand the specific requirements and steps for your submission, please refer to our guide on Submitting an application under Section 138 of the Roads Act | CCC

Note: Before starting any excavation near the kerb, always contact Before You Dig (1100) to locate underground utility services like telecommunications or water mains.

Road naming isn't just about picking something that sounds nice; it is a strict legal process essential for emergency services like ambulances and fire trucks to find you quickly. All road naming in our LGA must adhere to the NSW Road Regulation 2018 and Guidelines for the Naming of Roads. If you are a developer with a new subdivision, or you wish to propose renaming a road, you may notify Council by filling an Application for Naming or Re-Naming of a Public Road Application Form (fees apply).