Dunolly and surrounds are blessed to have the use of a local Community Bus. It runs every Friday to Maryborough for people to do their shopping or attend appointments, which is a fantastic asset for the community.
This bus has been made possible through a partnership between the Central Goldfields Shire Council and the Dunolly Rural Transaction Centre (RTC). This partnership was established in 2018 and saw ownership and maintenance of the bus vested in Council and the RTC responsible for garaging of the bus, managing hire of the bus, ensuring all bus logs and other vehicle reports are maintained and up-to-date, ensuring the bus is cleaned and well maintained, ensuring the reporting of any damage and ensuring only appropriately licensed drivers drive the bus.
Usage of the bus is not restricted to community groups within the Dunolly district either, any community group which meets the criteria for usage developed by the RTC is able to use the bus.
Of late, there have been rumours that Central Goldfields Shire Council are going to cancel the Community Bus because the Bealiba Bus runs the same day. I can assure that this is totally untrue.
There is an issue at present with the bus' parking, due to the fact that parking at the CFA depot is no longer available as the CFA have a new vehicle and therefore no longer have room. Council and the RTC are in communication to see if the land directly behind the RTC, which is owned by the RTC, can be utilised as a parking spot.
Planning is in its infancy, as funding will need to be secured for works to happen. But please watch this space and rest easy that Dunolly will not lose its Community Bus!
