General News
12 April, 2026
Operation Constellate ramps up
MOTORISTS travelling the Western Highway this weekend are being warned to expect a strong police presence, as officers ramp up enforcement under Operation Constellate to manage the Gather Round traffic surge.
For communities across the Wimmera and Grampians, the influx of vehicles heading towards South Australia for the AFL football event has become a familiar challenge — and local police say they are now well prepared, with this year’s response refined from previous years of experience.
Acting Senior Sergeant Shaun Allen said the operation would again focus heavily on the Western Highway, with officers targeting key risk factors as traffic volumes increase.
“We’re concentrating on the Western Highway between Beaufort and the border with our Wimmera resources,” he said.
“We’ll have highway patrol cars and motorcycles out there patrolling the highway.”
While the overall approach builds on previous years, Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said several additions had been introduced to strengthen the local response.
“This year, we’ve activated Driver Reviver sites, and the Department of Transport is putting road safety messages on overhead gantries,” he said.
“They’ve probably been the major additions.”
He said fatigue remained one of the biggest concerns, particularly given the long distances involved.
“The operation has evolved from the tasking we’ve done in previous years, with a strong focus on fatigue,” he said.
“Seatbelts are also a concern — we’re seeing that creeping into fatal collisions, with people not wearing them.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said drivers should expect to see police regularly along the highway throughout the long weekend.
“Expect to see a lot of police along the Western Highway — simple as that,” he said.
He said the highway’s long, open stretches — particularly further west — could increase the risk of complacency behind the wheel.
“Especially in the open areas between Horsham and the border, there are a lot of long straights,” he said.
“There’ll be police cars there doing speed checks.”
Despite ongoing enforcement campaigns, Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said preventable risks continue to contribute to road trauma.
“It is frustrating, and we’re constantly trying to find different ways to get the safety message through,” he said.
With thousands of motorists expected to pass through the region over the coming days, police are urging drivers to plan their trips, take regular breaks, and make safe decisions behind the wheel.