This year has been challenging for the local economy, with ongoing major roadworks and infrastructure projects reshaping the town centre and testing traders’ resilience.
Early in 2025, businesses along Racecourse Road reported drastic drops in customer numbers as construction works intensified. Gloria Jean’s Coffee owner Saad Bashir said his cafe lost up to 70 per cent of trade, forcing a reduction in staff from 14 to six.
Reddy Roast co-owner Kaitlyn Larcombe, a single mother, said she had to work seven days a week just to keep the business afloat.
“I see my child less now because I’m here a lot. I think that’s the most stressful part of it,” she said.
Access issues, obstructed shopfronts, and planned power outages compounded the pressure. While Major Road Projects Victoria pledged support and promised a trader program similar to one delivered along McGregor Road, many owners said the measures were slow to arrive and insufficient.
By October, frustrations had grown, with traders claiming they were “left high and dry” by all levels of government.
Local projects, including the new Pakenham Community Hospital and Council’s planned Pakenham Revitalisation works, compounded disruptions around Main Street, Racecourse Road, Cameron Way, and Bald Hill Road.
Fed up with mounting disruptions, two small business operators met with project managers overseeing Racecourse Road late October, but left without any resolution.
“There’s no compensation. It’s basically ‘too bad, so sad’,” they said.
“We’ve lost about 50 per cent of our trade. I’ve had to cut back on our opening hours and staff hours because I can’t afford to keep them on.”
Despite the challenges, milestones were reached. Racecourse Road reopened in December after a two-month closure, with the Pakenham Creek bridge rebuilt in 79 days, new culverts installed, and flood mitigation works completed.
These upgrades are designed to reduce the risk of flooding and improve local transport safety. Construction continues across the town, with the full Pakenham Roads Upgrade now on track for completion in mid‑2026.
Traders continue to urge locals to support small businesses, while government agencies say they are coordinating works to minimise further disruption.
