Family grieves

A Warragul woman felt sick when she heard the news of an horrific collision outside Gumbuya World last Monday – surely another family could not be facing the grief her family suffered three years ago.

Dianne Hatch wasted no time in renewing calls for urgent action to address Princes Fwy traffic conditions outside Gumbuya World.

An Endeavour Hills man aged in his 40s died at the scene while two passengers, a female and child, were airlifted following the tragic collision.

Police reported the vehicle was leaving Gumbuya World when the man’s four-wheeldrive and a truck collided on the Princes Fwy at about 5pm.

Last week’s fatal collision was eerily similar to the collision that killed Dianne’s cousin Bevy almost three years ago on February 18, 2018.

“It just shouldn’t happen. I was upset and angry to hear about that collision last week.

“Bevy’s family are still suffering and now it’s happened to another family,” she said.

Dianne is no stranger to the stretch of road that has claimed two lives in the past three years.

She travels the road up to four times a week to work in Berwick.

She knows the anxious feeling of driving home late in the afternoon, seeing vehicles waiting to exit Gumbuya World as she says to herself “please don’t come out, please don’t come out.”

Dianne’s cousin had spent the day with family at the theme park for her grandsons fourth birthday. Their day ended in tragedy.

The mobile signs reducing the highway speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h during peak exit times from the park are not enough, according to Dianne.

“I don’t want to put blame on people. It’s not just VicRoads or the government, it’s the theme park owners and it’s everyone.

“But we can’t wait another three years for another life to be lost,” she said.

A petition calling for an overpass at the intersection has already gathered more than 6500 signatures in less than a week.

Krystal Clark of Pakenham started the change.org petition last Monday night almost immediately after hearing news of the fatal.

“I just keep hearing about multiple incidents and near misses – it’s not a safe stretch of road.

“There has been multiple motor vehicle accidents already and I don’t want to see more incidents like this occur,” she said.

Krystal has been overwhelmed by the number of signatories to the petition in such a short time and hopes the government listens.

She said a roundabout or traffic lights were other options that needed to be considered.

The petition can be signed at: www.change.org/p/vicroads-road-overpassneeded-for-tynong-nth-on-the-princess-fwy-atgumbuya-world-intersection

Dianne Hatch of Warragul was quick in taking to the keyboard last Monday night to write letters to Premier Daniel Andrews and others in the hope of improving traffic safety at Tynong North.

Right: Anne Hatch of Warragul said last week’s fatality outside Gumbuya World reignited her calls for change at the intersection following the death of her cousin Bevy (pictured) whose last photograph was taken at the theme park where she spent the day with family before a fatal collision as she left.