‘Numerous near-misses’: Concerns over roads around Mount Duneed Regional Primary School

Parents fear it is only matter of time before a serious accident occurs on an increasingly busy dirt road that provides access to their children’s primary school.

Wade Veldhuis, pictured with son Bohdi, says Williams Rd in Mt Duneed is in desperate need of an upgrade. Picture: Brad Fleet.

Parents fear it is only matter of time before a serious accident occurs on an increasingly busy dirt road that provides access to their children’s primary school.

A small stretch of Williams Rd outside Mount Duneed Regional Primary School is bitumen, but the footpath quickly turns into narrow dirt and grass strip.

The matter has been a longstanding concern for parents and with the new school year just a fortnight away, they are ramping up calls for action.

Carly and Wade Veldhuis, whose son Bohdi is preparing to enter grade one, said they had made multiple requests to Geelong council.

The couple say their concerns are a “constant theme” among local parents.

“Cars are forced to drive on the side of the road at 20km an hour, and with no footpath it leaves literally no room for kids to walk on or ride their bikes,” Mr Veldhuis said.

“It only takes a little rain and trucks going along there for corrugations to start appearing.”

Mr Veldhuis said other than the occasional scraping of the road following a complaint, nothing has been done and it was putting children at risk.

“It’s downright dangerous,” he said.

City Hall executive director of city infrastructure James Stirton said roads around the school, which has well over 300 students, were scheduled for redevelopment as part of ongoing infrastructure upgrades in the area.

“This redevelopment will provide better pedestrian facilities and improved connections in Mount Duneed and Armstrong Creek,” he said.

No timeline was provided.

South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman spoke about the issue in parliament in March 2023 and launched a petition for City Hall to take action.

But it is now appears he has moved on given he did respond to questions, does not have a website and has not posted on social media since April.

Ms Veldhuis said the road had been busier in recent months, due to ongoing development and road closures in Mount Duneed.

She said she had seen numerous near-misses during drop off and pick-up hours.

“My main concern is there is no footpath for the kids to walk on,” she said.

“And if people drive fast on that road they slide, I’ve seen people slide.”

“The most recent near miss I saw was kids running between two cars because they couldn’t see the second car in the dust.

“I don’t think it should get to that point before you make it safer.”

She said despite multiple conversations with council, the couple had not been given any indication of when an upgrade would occur.

“They are banking on more development,” she said.

Originally published as ‘Numerous near-misses’: Concerns over roads around Mount Duneed Regional Primary School