Falls Creek families left stranded by school bus policy

The Nationals are calling on the Victorian Government to urgently review school transport policies that are leaving Falls Creek families without access to secondary education.

The Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria, Gaelle Broad, and The Nationals’ Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, said the Department of Education’s refusal to approve a school bus service for eight Falls Creek students attending Mount Beauty Secondary College was a clear failure of policy.

“Families in Falls Creek are being forced to drive a 62-kilometre round trip twice a day just to get their children to school,” Mr McCurdy said. “That’s over two hours a day on the road—completely unworkable for parents who are running businesses or working full-time.”

The Department recently rejected an application for a dedicated bus service, citing a minimum requirement of 15 students. However, under existing guidelines, a feeder service can be approved with just eight students—if it connects to a main route. No such route exists on the Bogong High Plains Road, leaving Falls Creek families in limbo.

“This is a textbook example of policy that fails to account for the realities of remote and alpine communities,” Ms Broad said. “We’re not asking for special treatment—just a fair go.”

With winter fast approaching, The Nationals MPs say the need for a solution is becoming urgent. Snow and ice make the roads more hazardous, and winter is the only time many local businesses can turn a profit.

“Parents are being forced to choose between their children’s education and their livelihoods,” Ms Broad said. “That’s not a choice any family should have to make.”

Mr McCurdy said: “Falls Creek is a vital part of Victoria’s tourism economy.

If we want it to thrive year-round, we must support the families who live and work there.”

The Nationals are calling on the Minister for Education to immediately review the policy and work with local operators to establish a seasonal or permanent transport solution that ensures all students can access the education they deserve.

Labor can't manage school transportation, and regional Victorian families are paying the price.