Community urged to use Lorne-Colac bus service

THE community is being urged to use an annual bus service between Lorne and Colac over the holiday period to ensure it returns next year and in the years to come.

The summer service, which is funded by Public Transport Victoria and run this year by Christians Bus Co., usually begins in mid-December (this year, it will start on Friday, December 15) and ends in late January (on January 28, 2024).

Shuttling between Lorne and Colac five times a day each way, the service also stops in Birregurra and Deans Marsh.

Public transport advocates Juliet Beatty from Deans Marsh and Elizabeth Ryan from Birregurra are hoping more people use the service in 2023-24 because “if we don’t use it, we could lose it” but “if we do use it, we could extend it”.

“Unfortunately, despite an intense campaign last year, which included a petition attracting 900 signatures presented to the Minister of Transport in parliament by our State MP for Polwarth, Richard Riordan, the patronage during the six-week period which the bus ran, was significantly down on the previous year,” the pair wrote in an email to this newspaper.

“It goes without saying that those of us involved with running the campaign were very disappointed.”

Ms Beatty and Ms Ryan said they had continued to hear inquires about the bus service over the past 12 months not only from people living in and between Lorne and Colac, but also from many people who visited the region throughout the year.

“Just think of the amount of money you will save on fuel, especially for those parents with teenage children who provide the transportation. Plus, no parking hassles!”

“We challenge our community to consider how they travel during this time and please use the existing service.

“Together, let us prove that this bus service would have a tremendous positive impact for our communities if it was available all year round.”

Colac-Birregurra-Deans Marsh-Lorne bus service:

• Colac Train Station – 7.10am, 10am, 12.30pm, 4pm, 7.15pm
• Colac Bus Interchange – 7.15am, 10.05am, 12.35pm, 4.05pm, 7.20pm
• Birregurra/PTV Bus stop – 7.30am, 10.20am, 12.50pm, 4.20pm, 7.35pm
• Deans Marsh/The Store – 7.45am, 10.35am, 1.05pm, 4.35pm, 7.50pm
• Lorne Visitor Information Centre – 8.10am, 11am, 1.30pm, 5pm, 8.15pm.
• Lorne-Deans Marsh-Birregurra-Colac bus service:
• Lorne Visitor Information Centre – 8.15am, 11.15am, 1:45pm, 5.15pm, 8:30pm
• Deans Marsh/The Store – 8.35am, 11.35am, 2.05pm, 5.35pm, 8.50pm
• Birregurra/PTV Bus stop – 8.50am, 11.50am, 2.20pm, 5.50pm, 9.05pm
• Colac Bus Interchange – 9.10am, 12.10pm, 2.40pm 6.10pm, 9.25pm
• Colac Train Station – 9.15am, 12.15pm, 2.45pm, 6.15pm, 9.30pm.

Services run every day (except Christmas Day) from Monday to Sunday until January 28.

The original bus service was established following a community campaign and petition led by a Grade 6 pupil at the Deans Marsh Primary School, which led to a submission being forward and accepted into the the G21 Geelong Regional Plan in 2013.