For nearly seven years, a heartbroken mother has waged a relentless campaign for a simple road safety fix on a treacherous Melbourne mountain road, where her son lost his life in a horrific crash.
A Preventable Tragedy on a Familiar Road
Moira Oates insists that sealing a short, unsealed side track could prevent another family from enduring her nightmare. Her youngest son, Michael Oates, 28, died in 2018 while riding his motorbike along the winding Mountain Highway towards Sassafras in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges.
The devoted mum says the deadly hazard – loose stones washed onto the bitumen from the unsealed Hilton Track – remains untouched, despite years of pleas to authorities. "It tells me they don’t care about my son’s death, and they don’t care about the risk to anyone else," she stated.
Ms Oates isn't seeking compensation, major infrastructure overhauls, or political battles. Her request is strikingly simple: a sealed track, just 10 metres long. "I would love to see the track sealed and for it to save some lives," she said.
Michael's Story: A Life Defined by Family and Passion
Michael Oates had been a proud and capable motorcyclist. His love for bikes began in childhood; at just two, he was found sitting on his father's motorbike making engine noises. By six, he had his own PeeWee 50. Tragically, when Michael was 10, his father was killed in a motorbike accident. Michael often spoke of wishing he could show his dad the skilled rider he had become.
Diagnosed with ADHD in grade two, Michael later battled depression and anxiety for about eight years. These challenges made stable employment difficult, but his family said he was an exceptionally hard worker when able. His last job was at Tilley Soaps in Bayswater.
Deeply family-oriented, Michael became an uncle to Olivia two years before his death. "When he was struggling, I’d bring Olivia over to see 'Uncle Mickey', and it always put a smile on his face," Ms Oates recalled.
The Day of the Crash and a Mother's Ongoing Mission
On the day of the accident, Michael had gone to VicRoads to pay his motorbike registration early. On his way home, he took his regular route up Mountain Highway. At the blind Hilton Track intersection, recent storms had washed loose stones from the unsealed track directly onto the road.
According to Senior Constable Scott Lardner, who attended the scene, Michael hit the stones while riding downhill. His front wheel lost traction. While he briefly regained control, he crossed onto the wrong side of the road and was struck by an oncoming vehicle.
The driver, Kerryn, was not at fault. She held Michael's hand as he lay injured, comforting him in his final moments. "She showed him love at a time when he was more scared than he had ever been," his mother said. At Michael's request, Kerryn called his sister Sarah, forming a lasting bond with the family.
For Moira Oates, the fight is no longer just about Michael. It's about saving the next rider who comes around that same bend, unaware of the stones waiting on the road.
Lawyers from Arnold Thomas & Becker, representing the family, said the continuing failure to address the hazard raises serious public safety questions. Senior associate Louisa Atanasovski stated: "Where a clear preventable risk has been identified, the expectation is simple: fix it before someone else dies. Seven years is an unacceptable delay for a safety measure as straightforward as sealing a short section of track."
