CENTRAL HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY BUS

Bus launch | what can the bus be used for | who can drive the bus | guidelines | the vision | sponsors | New Norfolk timetable

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BUS LAUNCH

The Central Highlands Community Bus was launched on 14^th August with a colourful Grand Street Parade commencing at the Ouse District High School and finishing at the Ouse Country Club.  This was followed by the official launch by Michael Polley, MHA and a wonderful country afternoon tea organised by enthusiastic volunteers.

 The bright yellow bus, affectionately nicknamed “TWEETY” is an initiative of Go! Highlands Inc., in partnership with the Central Highlands Regional Health Service and has been made possible through the generous sponsorship from a variety of sources. 

 Major sponsors for this project include the Central Highlands Council, State Government Premiers Fund, Forestry Tasmania, Norske Skog and the Tasmanian Community Fund. 

 Other sponsors include Great South Land Minerals, Centralinc, Gunns Limited, Mission Australia, Bradys Lake, Hamilton & Ouse Fire Brigades, Wayatinah Sport & Social Club, NRM, Ouse District High School, Tarraleah Lodge, Bronte Park Store, Hamilton Newsagency, SALTAS and various community donations.

 Go! Highlands Inc would like to thank all those people who volunteered to blow up balloons, decorate the streets of Ouse, participate in the parade, assist with catering and help to clean up afterwards. 

 Go! Highlands see this bus as being owned by the community for the community.  This bus is not replacing any current transport services in the Central Highlands and will provide a beneficial addition to the area.

What can the bus be used for?

 Priority is given to those groups and/or individuals who have no alternate transport.

Who can drive the bus?

The vehicle can be driven by anyone over 25 years holding a current full drivers licence.  On most occasions a driver will not be provided and those using the bus are able to drive it themselves.

For those transport jobs when a driver is required Go! Highlands are looking for volunteer drivers.  So if you are willing to give up a day every now and then please let us know.   The more people that volunteer to drive, the less burden is placed on individuals.

COMMUNITY BUS GUIDELINES

 Below is an overview of the guidelines for use of the vehicle

For a copy of the guidelines and booking policy please see the contact details below.  These guidelines will be trialled for a period of 3 months and then reviewed as there will no doubt be some  changes that we need to make (your feedback is welcomed).   If you are unsure of what the bus can be used for please contact us.

 For bookings & enquiries:  Tracey ~ Lana ~ Mary
Ph: 6287 2001 / 0429 433 664 email: tracey.turaleATdhhs.tas.gov.au (replace the AT with @ )

Central Highlands Community Bus—”TWEETY”

New Norfolk Timetable

 The Community Bus will be travelling to New Norfolk on the following dates.  You will be dropped off in the main centre so you can do your shopping, stop for lunch or a coffee, meet up with friends, do your banking, attend appointments, etc.  The trip will cost $10.00* per person and will leave Ouse at 9.30 a.m. 

 If there is a need, the trips will be increased to every second Thursday.  For bookings or further information phone Tracey or Mary on 6287 2001.

 *please note that fees and timetables will be trialled for 3 months and then reviewed.  Your feedback is welcomed.

Local Businesses and Government support the Central Highlands ‘Little Yellow Bus’ Project

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The Australian Government funded Central Highlands Regional Health Service based at Ouse commenced in October 2003.  Given a mandate to identify and address individual issues for the various communities within the Central Highlands, the Regional Health Service, headed by Tracey Turale, set out to improve health services and address social issues within one of the largest, least populated and isolated regions of Tasmania.

Through community consultation, one common problem identified throughout the Central Highlands was the lack of transport for community members.  Without adequate means of transport people could not participate in sporting and social activities/events, attend medical and specialist appointments, visit friends and family, attend community events, and attend to basic day to day business (e.g. shopping, banking, etc). These are basic issues that people living in populated areas take for granted, but are seriously lacking in the Central Highlands where some people are required to travel as far as 200km return just to visit a doctor.

In May 2006, Mary Downie, a local energetic Hamilton resident, founded a voluntary community group Go! Highlands Inc.  Go! Highlands’ vision is for a Strong, Vibrant and Caring Community, and their main objective is to support and strengthen the lives of children, families and the community.  Working in close consultation with the Regional Health Service, Go! Highlands decided to target one of the major problems faced by people in the area, the lack of transport.

Go! Highlands and the Regional Health Service had a clear vision of a high profile community transport bus that the residents across the municipality could readily identify with and be proudly enthusiastic about supporting, so the ‘Little Yellow Bus’ project was born.

In 2006, Tracey Turale and Go! Highlands’ members Mary Downie and Lana Benson commenced ‘Operation Bus Stop’.  Complete with a miniature model yellow bus they approached, canvassed and addressed Government Ministers and their representatives, local Council, local industry, government & non-government organisations, community groups and businesses to gain support and advice for their project, stressing the importance of this for their area. 

Go! Highlands applied for funding for their bus project late in 2006 with the support of another local community group, Central Highlands Community Development Inc (Centralinc) who also supported the project with a donation of $2000.  This funding application was unsuccessful so Go! Highlands decided to seek sponsorship and begin fundraising for the bus.

At the December meeting of the Central Highlands Council, the council agreed to contribute $7,500 towards the bus.  Michael Polley, Speaker of the House of Assembly, who had enthusiastically supported Operation Bus Stop from the onset, announced at a local Christmas function that the State Government, Department of Premier and Cabinet, would also contribute $7,500.  Operation Bus Stop had gone from zero to $17,000 in one month.

Now with a full head of steam, the project was boosted by further sponsorship from Norske Skog ($7,500), Forestry Tasmania ($7,500), Great South Land Minerals ($2,000), Gunns Limited ($1000), Bradys Lake Fire Brigade ($500), and SALTAS ($250).  This brought the funds raised to over $35,800, making Operation Bus Stop a reality within 3 months.

Where many community transport services have strict criteria for usage, the Central Highlands ‘Little Yellow Bus’ will be made available on a roster system for all community members for a wide variety of purposes such as; school activities and excursions; medical appointments (within and outside the municipality); social outings; sporting activities; and for use by community social and sporting groups.  It will also be used to support worthwhile programs within the area such as the Central Highlands ‘Odd Job Squad’ which will assist aged community members with odd jobs around the garden and home, and the newly formed ‘Communities for Children’ TADPOLES Parenting Centre & Mobile Playgroup.  Go! Highlands stresses the ‘Little Yellow Bus’ will be made available for any worthwhile purpose for Central Highlands’ residents on a user-pay system.  No-one will be disadvantaged by their inability to pay and any costs may be wavered on a case by case basis.

The ‘Little Yellow Bus’ has been identified as an eight-seater Kia Carnival LWB.  The target sum has been set at $50,000 to include the purchase of the vehicle and ongoing costs (e.g. servicing, maintenance, insurance) by June 2007.  This will see the bus operational by July 2007.

All Platinum (over $5,000) and Gold (over $1000) level sponsors will have the opportunity to have their organisations logo prominently displayed on the ‘Little Yellow Bus’ in recognition of their support for Operation Bus Stop and the residents of the Central Highlands.  All sponsors will be recognised for their support on a plaque displayed in the bus itself, and also on any promotional material, media releases and publications, and the Go! Highlands’ website.

Go! Highlands will be calling for further sponsorship from local businesses and organisations in the form of financial or in-kind support (e.g. mechanical, signage, and/or administrative support). Every little bit helps and all forms of support will be appreciated and recognised.  Go! Highlands can be contacted through the Central Highlands Regional Health Service by phoning 6287 2001.

By the way, the bus will be bright yellow!

A sub committee of Go! Highlands Inc. recognised through community forums held in May that transport was the number one limiting factor for community members and as a way of solving this issue Operation Bus Stop the brainstorm of Tracey Turale and Lana Benson began. A funding application was submitted unsuccessfully to the Tasmanian Community Fund. This ‘Strength-Based’ Project was to employ a Family Support Worker and would depend on the purchase of an eight-seater ‘People Mover’. The target population included socially isolated and disadvantaged young people, their families and other community members that are struggling to cope. The vehicle was to have a dual purpose as mode of transport for the Family Support Worker and a means to transport services to clients (e.g. service providers, school resources & equipment) and transport clients to services (e.g. health support services, home schooling interaction sessions, employment services, and community activities). The vehicle would be made available for other community projects & groups on a user pay basis (e.g. the elderly, schools, and community groups).

Being unsuccessful was not a deterrent to Tracey Turale and Lana Benson’s enthusiasm and so they began door knocking, foot slogging, talking and letter writing and in doing so have seen us receive close to $37 500.00 toward a bus for our region. Receiving a grant would have made this process so easy but the benefit gained through this more personal approach has built relationships with business and connected with the community

Community Bus Sponsors

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