Cuts to Casterton school bus services would leave country kids in the lurch

A network of Casterton school bus services running since the 1950s is facing the chop, with the state government proposing to end three rural routes.

The changes would see three services scrapped, impacting students attending Casterton Secondary College, Casterton Primary School, Sacred Heart Primary School and the Kathleen Millikan Centre (childcare).

Under the revised network, the six remaining services would be reconfigured to cover the routes that may be axed.

However, the proposed changes would lead to increased travel times as buses would have to collect and drop students at a greater number of stops.

The state government has supplied schools with the revised bus timetables, but there is concern amongst school communities the actual journeys will take longer than estimated.

In a recent letter to families, Casterton Secondary College Principal Meridith Walker said “the gravity of removing three services mid-year cannot be understated”.

“Our bus runs do not neatly fit a Google Map in terms of travel time, and Google Maps certainly doesn’t consider weather conditions, road conditions, pick up and drop off times, emergencies, and the dangers of kangaroos or emus.”

Some routes would bypass key areas such as Bahgallah altogether, while others would force families to drop off and collect children at bus stops in neighbouring areas.

At Tuesday night’s Glenelg Shire Council meeting, councillors unanimously condemned the move, with Mayor Karen Stephens describing it as a “gross disappointment” and warning it would have lasting social and educational consequences.

“Just because we live in rural communities, it does not mean that we shouldn’t have the same services that are afforded to other areas closer to Melbourne,” Stephens said. 

Stephens spoke about a local parent who lives 50 minutes from Casterton and, if the changes were implemented, would have to make the round trip twice daily, the equivalent of four hours on the road.

The principal urged families to make their voices heard and submit feedback to the school by today (July 25) in order to give the school enough time to gather the responses for submission.

The final decision rests with the Department of Transport and Planning, which is accepting community feedback until August 1.

Header image credit: Casterton Secondary College