The Supreme Court of Victoria is ruling on a highway project in western Victoria which was paused after dozens were arrested while protesting the removal of a tree.

Police arrested 60 people earlier this week from a protest over the removal of a large tree that some Djab Wurrung people say is sacred.

The tree was felled as part of the widening of a section of the Western Highway between Buangor and Ararat.

Legal documents filed by senior Djab Wurrung woman Marjorie Thorpe, the mother of Federal Greens senator Lidia Thorpe, have led to a court order preventing construction until 2:00pm Thursday, October 29.

The protests are being held by members of the Djab Wurrung Heritage Protection Embassy.

The Registered Aboriginal Party for the area, Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, has previously worked with the State Government to protect 16 culturally-significant trees, including having the highway's route was changed to protect the trees.

The Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation says the tree that was felled this week “did not reveal characteristics consistent with cultural modification”.

“Despite its age and majesty… it did not appear to have been altered by our peoples for usage in our cultural traditions,” the corporation said.

Djab Wurrung woman Sissy Austin stepped down from her position with the First Peoples' Assembly - the body which represents Aboriginal people in the Victorian treaty process - over the issue.

“I said from the very beginning, in standing for the election for the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria, that I felt conflicted, that I felt like there needed to be a grassroots voice represented,” she said.

“But I also was very strong in sharing the hashtag 'no trees, no treaty'.

“I said in my opening speech in parliament that the decision made by the Andrews Government, with regards to the Western Highway duplication project, will make or break the trust that the Aboriginal community here in Victoria places in the treaty agenda.”

Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the issue has already been covered.

“This is a matter that's been through multiple court hearings, it's been through a really long process with an independent planning process, it's been looked at in previous Supreme Court hearings, by the Ombudsman, by the Federal Minister and all the relevant approvals are in place for this project to proceed,” she said.

“We've worked really closely and listened to the traditional owners, the people who speak for Djab Wurrung country, and not one tree that has been identified as culturally significant will be removed as part of this project.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said the Government had consulted with the Eastern Marr Aboriginal Corporation; “Who speak for this country”.

“No disrespect to anyone else who is deeply interested in these matters, but it should not be glossed over [that] this road has been moved to take account of very significant cultural heritage areas,” he said.

“If we're going to move forward and if we're going to find that balance point between respecting, fundamentally, cultural heritage but also getting things done then that structure will need to continue to serve all of us.

“In recent years we have had 12 people lose their life on that road. It is deadly, it is dangerous, it has to be improved and upgraded.”

Ms Andrews has been accused of enabling “manufactured consent”.