When a diamond-shaped roundabout in Sydney's southwest became popular worldwide for all the wrong reasons, locals thought the embarrassment couldn't get any worse.
Then they found out how much it cost.
Liverpool City Council has been forced to reveal it spent more than $145,000 on installing and then hastily removing what became known as 'Australia's worst roundabout' after just one week of chaos.
But this isn't just another council bungle—it's part of a much bigger story about accountability, oversight, and what happens when things go seriously wrong at the local government level.
In this article
The eye-watering bill that keeps growing
The numbers tell their own story of bureaucratic failure. Installing the diamond-shaped roundabout at the intersection of Twenty Eighth Avenue and Fifteenth Avenue in Austral cost ratepayers $92,885.
When the experiment spectacularly failed and had to be painted over within a week, removing it cost another $53,914.
That's $146,799 for a traffic solution that lasted less time than most people keep their library books.
'This episode went viral globally and has left the council looking like an international laughing stock. The waste of ratepayers' money is unforgivable.'
The 'diamond roundabout' became a viral sensation after drone footage revealed drivers struggling to navigate the unconventional design, with many motorists making multi-point turns or simply driving over the central structure.
How did this get approved?
Here's where the story gets more troubling. Council documents reveal the roundabout had originally been intended as an oval design, but amendments between Transport for NSW, council's design team and its traffic committee saw a non-standard diamond layout approved in February.
Officials were warned about potential compliance issues as early as October last year, but the final plans still went ahead.
The roundabout was supposed to help prepare key routes for the upcoming Western Sydney Airport, but instead it became a cautionary tale about proper planning and consultation.
Some drivers didn't even realise there was a new roundabout there—the traffic control device appeared entirely painted on barely raised ground—and drove straight through it.
Others found the diamond corners impossible to navigate, leading to the viral footage of vehicles performing awkward three-point turns just to exit the intersection.
The cost breakdown that shocked ratepayers
Installation: $92,885
Removal: $53,914
Total cost: $146,799
Operational lifespan: Less than one week
Cost per day: Approximately $20,000
A pattern of problems
This roundabout fiasco isn't happening in isolation. Liverpool Council is already under scrutiny, with the NSW Office of Local Government conducting an inquiry into allegations of dysfunction, maladministration and mishandling of state grants.
The NSW Government ordered a public inquiry into Liverpool City Council after an interim report detailed serious concerns about widespread dysfunction and maladministration, including recruitment and staffing practices, procurement irregularities, allegations of inappropriate record keeping and widespread evidence of a toxic work environment.
As Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig put it: 'I remain extremely concerned by the information uncovered during the early stages of the investigations. It's some of the worst I've seen in more than 30 years in local government'.
Australia's infrastructure failure epidemic
Unfortunately, Liverpool's roundabout disaster fits into a depressing national pattern. Recent research confirms that 80 per cent of senior executives agree that large infrastructure projects in Australia are often over budget and behind schedule.
Take the Inland Rail project: expected to cost $8.5 billion when announced in 2017, it's now looking like a $31 billion behemoth. While that's on a vastly different scale, it shows how poor planning and oversight can turn any project into a financial disaster.
The viral embarrassment factor
As Councillor Peter Ristevski admitted: 'I'm in Canberra for the Australian Local Government Conference, where I've had every single councillor here in Australia rip into me about this roundabout'.
The story didn't just stay local—it made international headlines and became a global symbol of infrastructure incompetence.
American automotive publication Motor Trend covered the story, describing it as creating 'what could best be called a 'rhombusabout'' and noting how 'officials in Austral, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, have apparently mastered this dubious achievement'.
When your local council project becomes international comedy material, you know something has gone seriously wrong.
What this means for accountability
Independent Liverpool councillor Peter Ristevski has demanded answers, telling media: 'My inbox last night was bombarded with over 300 responses asking, 'what is going on? You guys can't even build a roundabout''.
The council's response has been to point fingers elsewhere. A council spokesperson argued the real issue is the state government's delay in upgrading Fifteenth Avenue, saying 'It's always been an awkward intersection… and it's not going to be ready in time for the airport'.
But ratepayers aren't buying it. They want to know how a project with such obvious flaws made it through multiple approval stages, and why nearly $140,000 of their money vanished on a week-long experiment.
Red flags for ratepayers watching council projects
- Demand to see business cases and cost-benefit analyses before projects start
- Question non-standard designs that deviate from proven solutions
- Ask what consultation occurred with transport authorities
- Watch for projects announced without proper scoping or community input
- Follow up on warnings raised during the planning process
Learning from the mess
The intersection sits on Fifteenth Avenue, which was designed to carry around 7,000 cars a day but now carries more than 20,000. Council successfully campaigned to get $1 billion in funding from governments to upgrade this major connecting road to Western Sydney International Airport.
The tragedy is that residents genuinely needed traffic solutions for this busy corridor. Instead, they got a costly embarrassment that made their problems worse, not better.
What This Means For You
The diamond roundabout saga serves as a costly reminder that when local government fails, it's ordinary ratepayers who foot the bill. In an era where every dollar counts and councils face growing pressure to deliver value for money, a $140,000 week-long mistake is simply inexcusable.
What's your experience with questionable council projects in your area? Have you seen ratepayer money wasted on ventures that seemed doomed from the start? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below—accountability starts with community awareness.
Read more: Public toilets now need a secret key—yes, really
Original Article
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15037187/liverpool-roundabout-sydney-cost.html
Shocking cost to fix diamond-shaped roundabout called Australia’s ‘worst’ is revealed
Cited text: Liverpool City Council has come under fire after confirming it spent nearly $140,000 on the installation and swift removal of a controversial roundabo...
Excerpt: Liverpool City Council has been forced to reveal it spent almost $140,000 on installing and then hastily removing what became known as 'Australia's worst roundabout' after just one week of chaos
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/shocking-cost-fix-austral-diamond-shaped-roundabout
Shocking cost to fix diamond-shaped roundabout called Australia’s ‘worst’ is revealed
Cited text: “The waste of ratepayers’ money is unforgivable.” ...
Excerpt: Liverpool City Council has been forced to reveal it spent almost $140,000 on installing and then hastily removing what became known as 'Australia's worst roundabout' after just one week of chaos
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/shocking-cost-fix-austral-diamond-shaped-roundabout
Australia’s worst roundabout? Diamond design confusing drivers labelled ‘national embarrassment’
Cited text: The “diamond roundabout,” located in Austral in the Liverpool City Council area, has become a viral sensation after drone footage revealed drivers str...
Excerpt: The 'diamond roundabout' became a viral sensation after drone footage revealed drivers struggling to navigate the unconventional design, with many motorists making multi-point turns or simply driving over the central structure
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/australias-worst-roundabout-diamond-austral
Shocking cost to fix diamond-shaped roundabout called Australia’s ‘worst’ is revealed
Cited text: Council documents reveal the roundabout had originally been intended as an oval design, but amendments between Transport for NSW, council’s design tea...
Excerpt: Council documents reveal the roundabout had originally been intended as an oval design, but amendments between Transport for NSW, council's design team and its traffic committee saw a non-standard diamond layout approved in February.
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/shocking-cost-fix-austral-diamond-shaped-roundabout
Nonsensical Roundabout With Corners Causes Chaos in Australia
Cited text: According to news reports, some drivers didn’t realize there was a new roundabout there—the traffic control device appears entirely painted on barely ...
Excerpt: Some drivers didn't even realise there was a new roundabout there—the traffic control device appeared entirely painted on barely raised ground—and drove straight through it
https://www.motortrend.com/news/australian-roundabout-that-isnt-round-sows-chaos
Shocking cost to fix diamond-shaped roundabout called Australia’s ‘worst’ is revealed
Cited text: The embarrassment comes as Liverpool Council is already under scrutiny, with the NSW Office of Local Government conducting an inquiry into allegations...
Excerpt: Liverpool Council is already under scrutiny, with the NSW Office of Local Government conducting an inquiry into allegations of dysfunction, maladministration and mishandling of state grants
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/shocking-cost-fix-austral-diamond-shaped-roundabout
NSW Government to launch public inquiry into Liverpool City Council—Office of Local Government NSW
Cited text: The NSW Government has today ordered a public inquiry into Liverpool City Council after an interim report provided to the Minister for Local Governmen...
Excerpt: The NSW Government ordered a public inquiry into Liverpool City Council after an interim report detailed serious concerns about widespread dysfunction and maladministration, including recruitment and staffing practices, procurement…
https://olg.nsw.gov.au/media-releas...h-public-inquiry-into-liverpool-city-council/
NSW Government to launch public inquiry into Liverpool City Council—Office of Local Government NSW
Cited text: The report details a number of areas of concern with regard to recruitment and staffing practices, procurement irregularities, allegations of inapprop...
Excerpt: The NSW Government ordered a public inquiry into Liverpool City Council after an interim report detailed serious concerns about widespread dysfunction and maladministration, including recruitment and staffing practices, procurement…
https://olg.nsw.gov.au/media-releas...h-public-inquiry-into-liverpool-city-council/
Public Inquiry into Liverpool City Council to proceed immediately as time expires on postponing elections | NSW Government
Cited text: “I remain extremely concerned by the information uncovered during the early stages of the investigations. It’s some of the worst I’ve seen in more tha...
Excerpt: As Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig put it: 'I remain extremely concerned by the information uncovered during the early stages of the investigations.
https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releas...ately-as-time-expires-on-postponing-elections
Critical issues plague Australian infrastructure projects—create digital
Cited text: The research confirms a troubling trend that Australians might have anecdotally thought to exist: that large infrastructure projects frequently exceed...
Excerpt: Recent research confirms that 80 per cent of senior executives agree that large infrastructure projects in Australia are often over budget and behind schedule
https://createdigital.org.au/critical-issues-plague-infrastructure-projects/
3 lessons from major project failures—publicaccountant.com.au
Cited text: Expected to cost $8.5 billion when announced in 2017, it’s now looking like a $31 billion behemoth.
Excerpt: Take the Inland Rail project: expected to cost $8.5 billion when announced in 2017, it's now looking like a $31 billion behemoth
https://publicaccountant.com.au/features/3-lessons-from-major-project-failures/
'Absolute joke' Sydney roundabout called out over diamond design
Cited text: (Today) 'It's quite embarrassing,' Peter added. 'I'm in Canberra for the Australian Local Government Conference, where I've had every single councillo...
Excerpt: As Councillor Peter Ristevski admitted: 'I'm in Canberra for the Australian Local Government Conference, where I've had every single councillor here in Australia rip into me about this roundabout'
https://davidjthomas.substack.com/p/absolute-joke-sydney-roundabout-called
Nonsensical Roundabout With Corners Causes Chaos in Australia
Cited text: A hastily-installed, diamond-shape roundabout has caused chaos near Sydney, Australia.
Excerpt: American automotive publication Motor Trend covered the story, describing it as creating 'what could best be called a 'rhombusabout'' and noting how 'officials in Austral, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, have apparently mastered this…
https://www.motortrend.com/news/australian-roundabout-that-isnt-round-sows-chaos
Nonsensical Roundabout With Corners Causes Chaos in Australia
Cited text: But it is apparently possible to screw up a roundabout, and officials in Austral, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, have apparently mastered this dubious...
Excerpt: American automotive publication Motor Trend covered the story, describing it as creating 'what could best be called a 'rhombusabout'' and noting how 'officials in Austral, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, have apparently mastered this…
https://www.motortrend.com/news/australian-roundabout-that-isnt-round-sows-chaos
Australia’s worst roundabout? Diamond design confusing drivers labelled ‘national embarrassment’
Cited text: Despite plenty of space for a conventional circular layout, the diamond shape was approved and built — prompting Liverpool City Councillor Peter Riste...
Excerpt: Independent Liverpool councillor Peter Ristevski has demanded answers, telling media: 'My inbox last night was bombarded with over 300 responses asking, 'what is going on?
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/australias-worst-roundabout-diamond-austral
Australia’s worst roundabout? Diamond design confusing drivers labelled ‘national embarrassment’
Cited text: You guys can’t even build a roundabout,’” Ristevski told Today.
Excerpt: Independent Liverpool councillor Peter Ristevski has demanded answers, telling media: 'My inbox last night was bombarded with over 300 responses asking, 'what is going on?
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/australias-worst-roundabout-diamond-austral
Bizarre diamond roundabout dubbed Australia’s worst ‘disappears’ overnight after community backlash
Cited text: In defence, the council argued the real issue is the state government’s delay in upgrading Fifteenth Avenue. “It’s always been an awkward intersection...
Excerpt: A council spokesperson argued the real issue is the state government's delay in upgrading Fifteenth Avenue, saying 'It's always been an awkward intersection… and it's not going to be ready in time for the airport'
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/austral-roundabout-western-sydney-disappears-community-backlash
Residents erupt after incident at controversial roundabout: 'A mess'
Cited text: 'Fifteenth Avenue was designed to carry around 7,000 cars a day and is now carrying more than 20,000 cars a day,' they said. Council successfully camp...
Excerpt: The intersection sits on Fifteenth Avenue, which was designed to carry around 7,000 cars a day but now carries more than 20,000.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/residents...ontroversial-roundabout-a-mess-045054839.html
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