A joint approach to transport issues in rural & remote Victorian towns

A really good news story has been pased on by Orbost Neighbourhood House Coordinator, Mary McDonald – the story of the ‘Let’s GET Connected – Gippsland East Transport Project – a partnership between Wellington and East Gippsland Shires.

The nine page Winter 2005 Newsletter put out by Project Officers Rhonda James and Sheryl McHugh has good news in heaps of areas eg:

1)Where there is free seating capacity on the school bus network in several areas young people undertaking short courses, work training, traineeships and apprenticeships can now apply to travel free on a school bus.

2) There is a new passenger and freight bus service for far east Gippsland towns along a route not operated in 45 years. A ‘next day’ delivery service will be trialled for 12 months and if successful the model will be used for other remote and isolated communities in Vic.

3) The small isolated high country township of Dargo is developing a ‘best practice’ model for establishing and servicing a community bus. The local Primary School, the Bush Nursing Centre, Let’s Get Connected and Best Start Projects are the prime drivers of the project so far – a wonderful example of collaborative and inclusive partnering betweeb projects, groups and organisations.

4) A Taxi Working Group, using a Mallacoota Taxis case study, has presented an Issues Discussion Paper to several relevant organisations, with potential solutions and recommendations, bearing in mind the importance of taxi services in rural and remote areas, especially when there is no public transport.

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT:
Shery McHugh PH: 5142 3478 EMAIL: sherylm@wellington.vic.gov.au
Rhonda James PH: 5153 9500 EMAIL:rhondaj@egipps.vic.gov.au