A FRUSTRATED motorist is expected to face at least an $8000 damage bill after his high-end car struck a nasty pothole along an arterial road in Boneo on 18 August.
Bradley Carter was shocked to discover his whole rear tyre was severely punctured and the wheel rim badly damaged on his pride-and-joy Bentley car after he hit a pothole at a bend on Boneo Rd near the Patterson Rd turnoff while travelling at the 80kph speed limit.
The Aspendale resident was driving home after playing golf at Cape Schanck when he lost control and swerved to the other side of the road after the pothole appeared out of nowhere. “There was a massive bang … I pulled over and it completely destroyed the whole thing (rear wheel),” he said. “It’s bloody dangerous. Had there been a truck coming the other way, it would have been interesting.”
Carter estimated the size of the pothole to be about 40cm wide – about the size of a standard dining chair seat. He said the damage was expected to cost thousands as his mechanic assessed the repairs, which may also include the car’s suspension.
Boneo Rd is a key route on the Mornington Peninsula region connecting Flinders to Rosebud with locals repeatedly reporting issues with road maintenance. Last December residents at the time had identified more than 40 large potholes, road edge defects and other deterioration over a 4km section of Boneo Rd that were a “serious safety hazard for all” (Urgent safety calls grow for Boneo Rd, The News 04/12/24).
Carter said he was hoping to seek compensation for repairs from the transport department, but noted it wasn’t just about money but on the principle of safety and accountability. “It needs to be addressed. My car is irrelevant. It’s not about that. I mean, there are expensive cars on these roads and cheaper cars. But the reason why I probably didn’t completely lose control was the fact that I was in a quality vehicle,” he said.
He said Boneo Road was a very narrow road “so you’re within a cat’s whisker at the best of times of oncoming traffic”. “We’re all paying taxes and we’re all being told not to speed and all these kinds of things. I’m doing the speed limit and I’ve nearly killed myself. “It’s not on. VicRoads has to do something about it.”
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said, “Our annual long-term maintenance program is based upon technical data, expert inspections and community feedback, ensuring that works are delivered where local drivers need them most”.
“Our crews regularly inspect every single kilometre of our arterial road network, delivering short-term repairs where needed while also identifying necessary long-term works,” the spokesperson said.
The department also confirmed “major patching works” were recently completed on Rosebud-Flinders Rd.
First published in the Mornington News – 26 August 2025
