Bradley James Fuller pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday to one charge of drink driving.

Magistrate Ron Saines said Fuller's decision to drive with a reading of 0.196 was a serious matter.

"It is not a mistake if you are under or over the limit, it is a decision to drive while you are grossly intoxicated," he said.

"You were unable to react. If it had been a bigger ditch you may have ended up grossly injured or dead or worse still come into collision with another motorist causing injury or death.

"It could have been five or 10 years jail for you."

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Ben Jones said Fuller was driving on Main Lead Road in Beaufort in July 2020 when he went off the road and down a ditch while intoxicated.

After blowing 0.196 at the police station, his licence was immediately suspended and his car was impounded.

Representing himself at court, Fuller said he used to have a problem with alcohol but did not think he did at the moment.

He said he lived alone in Beaufort and worked at a sawmill.

Fuller was convicted and fined $1500. He was disqualified from driving for 19 months.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story read that the defendant claimed he was swerving to hit a kangaroo (rather than to avoid hitting the animal). The Courier apologises for any confusion this may have caused.

If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.