Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Melton and Moorabool
16 DECEMBER, 2025
(Ljubica Vrankovic) 518824_02
Merry Christmas everyone!
Children across Melbourne’s western suburbs, including Penelope, 4, are eagerly counting down the days until the big man in red arrives. As the end of 2025 draws near, the team at Star Weekly would like to wish readers and advertisers a Merry Christmas and safe and happy 2026. The first edition for 2026 will be out on Tuesday 6 January.
Bus safety overhaul trailer at the intersection of Exford Road and Murphys Road. The bus was turning right when the truck impacted it, as the truck could not stop in the distance available. The impact caused the bus to roll onto its left side, shattering the left side glazing and injuring many children and the bus driver. The consequences were severe, requiring a “code brown“ activation at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH). Seven patients, aged five to 11, were admitted with multiple and traumatic injuries, including severe lacerations, head injuries, glass shard injuries, multiple crush-limb injuries, and partial
and full amputations of arms. Three patients also required spinal support. The OCI’s findings highlight that current bus designs need review. Specifically, the report calls for a review of seatbelt shoulder anchorage location to optimise restraint performance during a rollover. If a passenger in a window seat moves toward the window when that side impacts the ground, the current anchorage placement (away from the window) may be ineffective. The report urges consideration of seatbelt designs that better accommodate small children. Current bus seatbelts are “not optimised“ for smaller body sizes,
and research shows reduced injury rates when belts correctly fit occupants. The report also recommends changing side glazing requirements to increase the likelihood of window retention. The bus’s side windows were not retained during the rollover, which increased the potential for occupant injury. OCI is the operational office of the Chief Investigator, Transport Safety, an independent statutory position established to undertake no-blame safety investigation of transport incidents in Victoria to improve transport safety. OCI investigates bus, rail and marine incidents.
Helloworld Travel Bacchus Marsh
12736651-MP03-25
Victoria’s Office of the Chief Investigator (OCI) has released its report into the devastating May 2023 Exford school bus collision, urging immediate enhancements to Australian Design Rules for bus safety to better protect occupants during rollover incidents. The investigation, aimed at improving transport safety, identified safety-critical findings focused on seatbelt design and side glazing retention. The collision occurred about 3.40pm on Tuesday 16 May, 2023, when a school bus carrying 45 students from Exford Primary School in Eynesbury was struck from behind by a tipper truck towing a dog