A range of activities is underway to acknowledge VicRoads’ 100th birthday.
“The Country Roads Board, or CRB as it was known, was established on March 26, 1913. This year we will be taking the opportunity of honouring our past and looking to our future,” says Gary Liddle, chief executive officer.
He says that for a century, VicRoads and its predecessors have been connecting people to social and economic opportunities and goods to market places by developing and maintaining the road system.
“VicRoads has contributed to economic prosperity and social wellbeing by making existing roads operate more efficiently and reliably over the decades.
“We have an excellent history of road safety, of reducing deaths and serious injuries on Victorian roads. In 1970, Victoria was the first place in the world to make it compulsory to wear seat belts – the effect of this change to the road toll was a dramatic reduction.”
Liddle says that in more recent history, VicRoads has had a strong focus on providing customers with accessible, efficient and professional registration and licensing services.
“As we look to our future we will continue to connect Victorians as we have in the past, but also focus on developing sustainable travel options and minimising the road system’s impact on the environment,” he says.
Activities being run across Victoria from February to December including a number of exhibitions of images from VicRoads’ extensive archives – for which VicRoads has partnered with private organisations. “I’d like to thank our industry partners who have come on board to enable us to acknowledge our centenary and share our history with all Victorians. Without the support from Leighton Contractors, John Holland, Sinclair Knight Merz, BusVic, GHD, Thiess, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Hyder, AbiGroup, and Aurecon, we wouldn’t have been able to do most of the activities we have planned,” Liddle says.
Liddle says if people wanted to get involved, or stay abreast of events around the VicRoads centenary, they can email centenary@roads.vic.gov.au. He adds that VicRoads are particularly keen to hear from former employees.
For imagery of VicRoads’ 100 years, visit http://pinterest.com/vicroads
VicRoads – Connecting Victorians for 100 years – supported by Leighton Contractors. This is a series of photographic exhibitions running across Victoria in the following venues:
February 7 – April 21: The Kyneton Museum
March 1 – April 1: Warracknabeal Library
March 8 – 17 : Echuca Historical Society
April 11 – May 30: Rio Vista House, Mildura
April 26 – May 24: Gisborne Court House
May 30 – June 28: Mansfield Historical Society
June 6 – July 27: Leongatha Historical Society
August 12 – September 2: Dudley House in Bendigo
August 22 – October 6: East Gippsland Museum, Bairnsdale
September 9 – November 11: National Wool Museum, Geelong
October 4 – November 26: Maryborough Information Centre
November 5-25: Benalla Museum
December 5 – 20: Royal Historical Society of Victoria
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