There was a large influx of traffic through Mansfield during the Melbourne Cup long weekend, but police reported a quiet period for incidents, aside from two separate rescues of hikers in the High Country.

“In general, behaviour was very good on the roads,” Mansfield Highway Patrol Sergeant Paul Barker said, who was out with his team during Victoria Police’s Operation Furlong.

The statewide road policing operation targeted high-risk driving behaviour over five days, focusing on speeding and impaired drivers.

Operation Furlong ran from 12:01am Friday, 31 October, until 11:59pm Tuesday, 4 November.

“Within the Benalla Service Area there were four drink-driving offences and one drug-driving offence,” Sgt Barker said.

He added that the message remains clear — if you drink and drive, you will get caught.

Running through to the end of November is Operation MotoSafe in Victoria’s Eastern Region, with police focusing on motorcycle safety, education and enforcement.

The operation, which began on 13 October, aims to reduce motorcycle-related road trauma and encourage riders to make safe and responsible choices.

Sgt Barker said it was not just about enforcement but also “educational chats” with riders.

To support motorcyclists, Mansfield Police are offering Crash Cards to riders who would like to collect one from the local station in High Street.

The double-sided card fits inside a helmet and provides emergency services with personal information to assist with treatment if the rider is unconscious or unable to communicate.

As part of ongoing youth engagement, the Cool Heads young drivers program will return on Wednesday, 26 November, at the Mansfield Performing Arts Centre from 7pm to 9pm.

For enquiries, contact Leading Senior Constable Lisa Atkinson on (03) 5760 0200.

Victoria Police are now preparing for the busy end-of-year period with Operation Roadwise, running from 12 December to 1 January 2026.

Sgt Barker said the operation would target holiday traffic and Christmas celebrations in the lead-up to the festive season.

“Coming into the end of the year, motorists can expect to see ongoing enforcement across the state’s roads, including major blitzes targeting impaired drivers,” Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said.

“Time and time again, we continue to detect far too many people disregarding the road rules and taking unnecessary risks on our roads.”