Nearest government Schools
Department of Transport Regulations only permit free bus travel for students for whom Gisborne Secondary College is the nearest government school. Students may apply and possibly be placed on a bus or waiting list if they are not attending their nearest government school, providing seats are available.
Free Bus Travel
Any student travelling more than 4.8kms by the nearest practicable route to the nearest government school can access the free school bus system. Over one hundred bus stops are serviced. Our major routes are:
| Bullengarook | Kirribilli | Macedon | Mt. Macedon |
| Riddells Creek | Romsey | South Gisborne | Woodend |
Safe Bus Travel
Safety is our major concern. We have a great group of drivers and every bus also has senior students as Bus Captains who will help look after younger passengers.
Gisborne Secondary College has 18 buses running to and from the school with over 800 students travelling daily. It is imperative that students travel on their correct allocated bus and conduct themselves in a safe and courteous manner. The logistics of coordinating bus travel are huge and in the event of an emergency it is vital that our records accurately reflect students on their correct buses. Travel is only permitted from home to the College and back, the system cannot be used for after school activities, work, or getting to a friend’s house.
The College allocates students to buses and students are expected to travel only on their allocated bus. Please do not encourage your student to travel on a different bus. In exceptional circumstances parents/carers may contact the College to obtain a bus pass. Students found travelling on an unallocated bus may be sanctioned by the College and possibly removed from bus travel altogether. Please contact the College if you have specific questions about bus travel, by phone 5428 3691 or email gisborne.sc@education.vic.gov.au.
In addition, Gisborne Secondary College students can travel from the following locations via a paid bus service:
| Lancefield | New Gisborne |
These two buses involve a daily cash payment made to the driver, but please note, these are not official school bus routes and run only because student numbers have enabled companies to run them profitably. As the New Gisborne bus is a private contract bus the College does not keep records of students travelling on this bus.
Gisborne Transit – within Gisborne Township
Sunbury Coaches operates a bus service called Gisborne Transit which covers the local area of Gisborne & primary schools assisting students who live within the 4.8km boundary who are ineligible for free school bus travel. Please see website for more information www.gisbornetransit.com.au.
Primary School Bus Travel & Requirements
Gisborne Secondary College is the coordinating school for bus travel for the following primary schools:
| Bolinda PS | Gisborne PS | Holy Cross PS |
| New Gisborne PS | Riddells Creek PS | St. Brigids PS |
Bushfire Emergency Information
Schools, kindergartens and childcare facilities assessed to be most at risk of bushfire are placed on the department’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR). Gisborne Secondary College is one of these such schools.
Inclusion on this register is a trigger for action, including:
– pre-emptive relocation, learning from home or closure action plans for the school when at the highest risk due to a forecast elevated Fire Danger Ratings in our local government area.
– mandatory pre-emptive closure of the school on all days forecasted by the Bureau of Meteorology to be Catastrophic fire danger rating (FDR) in our fire weather district.
– cancellation of all bus routes which travel through fire weather districts that are forecasted to be Catastrophic FDR.
– in the event of exposure to an immediate bushfire or grassfire threat, the School Principals (including Assistant Principals) and approved Facilities Manager have the authority to enact their Emergency Management Plan (EMP).
Parking at the College
Parents are reminded not to enter or park in the bus loop from 3:00pm until the last bus has exited the school in the afternoon.
Bicycles
Bikes are another mode of transport to and from the College with bike racks provided at the Willowbank road side of the school. Students are not permitted to ride their bikes in the school grounds. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer and the student to provide suitable security for the bike, and to ensure helmets are worn whilst riding.
| School Bus Travel | Students are eligible for free school bus travel provided they live further than 4.8 km from the nearest government school they will be attending. |
| School Bus Routes | Students are reminded to be at their bus stop in the morning five minutes before the scheduled time. Buses depart Monday to Friday from Gisborne Secondary College at approximately 3.25 pm. The routes occasionally change from year to year; your Bus Co-ordinator will inform you of any changes. |
| Correct Bus | Students are to travel on the bus that stops closest to their home – no other stops are acceptable. Please study the routes carefully and complete the bus route and stop number in accordance with your address. The College will make the final decision about which bus a student will travel on. Students caught travelling on the wrong bus may be banned from travel for up to one week in the first instance. |
| Families | Family members are required to travel together on the same bus. |
| Bus Lists | These are finalised early in the school year. Students must travel on the correct bus. If students change address, it is vital that the bus co-ordinator is informed of this change immediately so that new arrangements can be made. |
Dropping off & Picking Up | Parents should park on the same side of the road as the bus when dropping off and picking up students at bus stops. Always wait until a bus departs before safely crossing the road and never walk in front of a stationary bus. At GSC, please drop students off on the left side of the bus loop. |
| Parent Parking | No vehicles other than school buses are allowed in the Bus Loop from 3:00pm until the last bus has left the bus loop. |
Changing Buses | Students may only travel on the bus to which the College assigns them. In exceptional circumstances, parents may request a temporary change, but this will not be granted for social, sporting or employment reasons, and must be approved by the Bus Co-ordinator at least 2 school days beforehand. |
Courtesy | Students should obey the driver and the Bus Captains and must stay in their seat and be courteous to other travellers. |
Bullying / Unruly Behaviour | Students who behave in an unacceptable manner, including swapping buses and / or bus stops will be banned from bus travel and parents will have to make their own arrangements for transport to and from school. Significant misbehaviours such as breaches of safety guidelines, bullying and not following instructions may also result in further sanctions including suspension from school. |
| Paid Bus Travel | Students living on the south side of the railway line in New Gisborne may access the paid bus, known as the New Gisborne bus. Students living in Lancefield may access a bus which must be paid for from Lancefield to Romsey. This is known as the Lancefield bus. |
| Two Households | A separate form must be completed where students are living at different households during the week and require different buses. See the Bus Co-ordinator to obtain a form. |
| Reminder | Students and parents are reminded that travel is only permitted for students attending classes or exams that day. |
| Items | Skateboards, scooters and bikes are NOT permitted on the bus. Basketballs, footballs etc. are to be secured in a bag. |
Late Buses | If a bus is running late in the morning, students are advised to remain at their stop as a replacement bus is always arranged. We suggest you have a plan with your student about how long they should wait before a decision is made about returning home. |