The Dragon Patcher

In the wee small hours of October 2025—the night before the combined international: Amy’s Great Ocean Road Gran Fondo and the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships—a myriad strange white markings appeared on the surface of the Great Ocean Road … a one metre long, diminishing zig-zag squiggle ending in an arrow pointing to every white-circled pothole.  There were hundreds!

Finally, I thought, a response from the authorities.  Though belated and rather amateurish, at least VicRoads had realised the threat and made a [truly] last-minute attempt to warn our international cyclist guests and local entrants of their impending danger.  I presumed that repair would follow, for to warn of a defect yet leave it unrepaired would seem unthinkable … but no!  As the weeks passed, the white paint wore away [along with the remaining surface], and the high-season traffic descended on the beleaguered road, the bitumen crumbled more, and the potholes grew.

Add insult to [luckily] avoided injury, it seems that the warning signs were privately organised—in desperation and [literally] at a stroke before midnight—by the event organisers.  The State was—as it ever is—missing in action.

The road—touted by our Government and its heavily-funded tourism departments as one of the five most magnificent coastal drives in the world—continues to deteriorate by the minute.  No fix has come.  No apology to the Fondo conglomerate.  And as for the article I wrote for the Committee for Lorne page in the Surf Coast Times, some weeks before the Fondo [https://tinyurl.com/mja89s2r], it had predictably fallen on deaf ears.

It seems all vestiges of reparative effort have faltered and fallen away in this struggling state, as regional roads disintegrate before their users’ eyes.  Melissa Horne, Minister for Ports and Freight since December 2018 and Minister for Roads and Road Safety since December 2022 [though who would know?] remains mute and relatively unknown.  No statements of monumental depth and insight like those recently delivered by our Prime Minister … ”I have been taking time to reflect so that I can get it right” … have escaped her lips or been issued by her department—nothing but stony silence.

Not so in the metropolis, however, where the self-congratulatory fanfare for newly opened tunnels and railways from Woop-Woop to Nowhere is raucous and ongoing [though it might be politic not to mention any newly-minted sinkholes in sporting grounds] as this metro-centric government continues to ignore and forget that it has regional and rural responsibilities, too.

Meanwhile, you have forgotten the roads in the country and angered the farmer CFA volunteers prior to the fire season by imposing a new Emergency Services Levy that has drastically increased their costs, taxed their land like a business investment, penalised those who form the backbone of CFA volunteerism, and heightened the risk to rural communities.  Is it any wonder regional Victorians are so disillusioned?

But … back to the topic of roads.  I recently read an interesting article [a remarkable must-see video clip accompanied it] that described “The Dragon Patcher”—a really cool Swedish road-repair system.  I immediately wondered if Ms Horne might have seen it too, though my best bet is “no”.  So, Ms Horne, for your benefit and to bring you up to speed with 21st-century road repair, let me fill you in—just like the potholes you aren’t [but should be] filling.

As Fabio Lucas Carvalho writes [published 14/05/2025 … see https://tinyurl.com/3mf466rr]  … the “Dragon Patcher” is an innovative and efficient machine, developed in Sweden, that quickly repairs potholes on roads.  Carvalho describes it as a fast, safe, and economical option that reduces costs and increases worker safety.

Operated from the vehicle’s cabin by a single operator, it derives its peculiar name from a beak-like arm that extends in front of the driver’s cabin and emits flames that resemble the breath of a dragon.

 

The repair process requires several sequential steps:

• The hole is pressure cleaned with compressed air to remove debris and dirt.
• A flame is used to defrost [necessary in cold climates like Scandinavia] and dry the area, ensuring proper adhesion of the repair materials.
• A layer of heated bitumen emulsion is applied over the prepared area.
• An aggregate [a mixture of crushed stone and bitumen] is then spread over the emulsion to form a strong, durable surface.
• After application, the road is ready for traffic almost immediately, minimising disruptions.

This innovative method not only repairs existing holes but also helps prevent future damage by repairing small cracks that might develop into holes.  Capable of repairing up to 150 holes/day, each repair takes about 3 minutes, making Dragon Patcher significantly faster than traditional methods.  Additionally, studies indicate its repair cost/square foot is considerably lower than that incurred by conventional methods, while its cabin-based operation reduces workers’ exposure to traffic and increases on-site safety.

Now used in Scandinavia and the UK, Dragon Patcher has proven effective in maintaining rural and urban roads, with its mobility and efficiency being particularly valuable in areas with heavy traffic.  Carvalho claims that it represents a significant advancement in road maintenance technology and aligns nicely with global trends in infrastructure innovation and sustainability.

While Swedish roads are annually challenged by sub-zero temperatures that freeze and crack the surface bitumen, Australian roads buckle and crack from heat.  The end result` however, is the same: water penetrates and damages the roads’ deeper under-surface structure.

Watch Dragon Patcher in action at: https://tinyurl.com/5ff7cebf or read about its trials in Devon at: https://tinyurl.com/yc8pxjjf or in Oxfordshire at: https://tinyurl.com/8653rbaf.  More than 5,000 potholes on Devon’s roads have been repaired in the last six months using a ‘dragon patcher’ device, according to the Devon County Council.

True, these Swedish pothole pluggers aren’t cheap … they cost up to $500,000/unit depending on size … though if working continuously, one unit may well be sufficient to repair the whole GOR.  A larger fleet could be purchased to rapidly address the state’s regional road system.  In my view, it would be better to spend our taxpayer dollars on repairing a state-wide infrastructure in dire need than on funding a suburban rail loop of dubious benefit.

What about it, Ms Allan and Ms Horne?  It may be worth looking into the concept!  Anything would be better than the ‘nothing’ you are currently doing to fix the Great Ocean Road.  As for regional Victoria, maybe a pre-election present might do something to prevent your electoral oblivion in the country, though, to paraphrase Gough at his ‘dismissal’ … ‘nothing will [likely] save this State Premier’.

John Agar

Feature Writer

A word from the chairman

Hello
Well, that was not the weekend we expected! Firstly, the Mountain to Surf run was cancelled on Friday morning due to dangerous conditions in the forest and then the Friday night cricket was cancelled due to wild weather and the impracticality of the Forrest team travelling to Lorne given the adverse weather and bushfire warnings. We were fortunate that the Pier to Pub swim was able to proceed on Saturday with gusty winds and under smoky skies. More than 5,000 swimmers of all shapes, sizes and ages took part in one of the largest open water swims in the world.
Despite the adverse weather conditions, Lorne experienced its biggest weekend ever with all accommodation and hospitality venues filled to the brim. We thank our locals for being welcoming and accommodating and our visitors for being considerate and respectful and supporting our local businesses.
The smoke haze that descended on Lorne last Friday night and returned on Saturday afternoon reminds us that while we live in a place of natural beauty, we are also in one of the most fire prone areas of Australia. As I am writing this column, the emergency warnings for the Otways have been downgraded, but as you read this the fires will still be burning and will continue to burn for weeks or months. They cannot be extinguished; they will burn themselves out or be doused by heavy rains. We need to be continually on the alert, ensure our properties are fire-safe and have our bushfire action plan ready.
Our hearts go out to the victims of the latest bushfires and especially our Otway Ranges neighbours. As we hear about the locations impacted, we think about our cricket, netball and football teams and the clubs they play against such as Gellibrand, Carlisle River and Simpson, and we send those clubs, their players and their families our best wishes and support at this difficult time.
*****
As we now move into a less hectic time, we take a breather before a big Australia Day weekend of celebrations, including the last hurrah for the Aquatic Club as it shuts down to make way for the long-awaited Point Grey redevelopment. On Saturday January 24, the Club will be holding a fundraiser for the Lorne CFA with a sausage sizzle, raffle and auction. This is a great opportunity to show your appreciation to our CFA volunteers for their commitment and care for our community. Please come along and be generous. On Sunday January 25, there will be the last fishing competition from the old clubhouse, followed by the usual roast lunch. Later in the day, local legend Ronny Hollmer and his band will play some good old-fashioned classics. There will also be an auction of items which the Club will not require after the redevelopment. Finally on Monday 26 the Club will celebrate Australia Day with a closing-down party.
Speaking of Point Grey, we are informed that a builder has been appointed and that an announcement is imminent and we are assured that planning and preparation are well underway and that the redevelopment will commence on Monday February 2. We will watch with interest!
Cheers

Lorne Ward Events Calendar

January

16 Deans Marsh Market, 10am – 12pm

16 – 18 Deans Marsh Sheep Dog Trials, 7.30am-5pm at Deans Marsh Reserve

24 Lorne Market, 9-3pm www.lornemarkets.com/

26 Lorne Aquatic Club Closing Down Party, with live music & fun