Children in Mount Duneed are being encouraged to ride to school, yet many simply cannot do so safely.

Williams Road, a key access route to Mount Duneed Primary School, remains unsealed, unsafe, and not fit for purpose in a rapidly growing community. Every day, children and families are forced to navigate loose gravel, dust, high traffic volumes, and a complete lack of safe walking and cycling infrastructure.

This is not a future problem. It is happening now.

What’s happening right now
Williams Road is a key access route to Mount Duneed Primary School, yet:

• No continuous footpaths connecting families to the school
• No safe cycling access for children
• Unsealed road with loose gravel and heavy dust
• Reduced visibility from passing traffic
• Increasing traffic, including construction and shortcut use
• Vehicles travelling at speed on poor quality road
• Consistent near misses involving children walking and riding

This is a daily safety risk for young children.

What Council has said
The City of Greater Geelong has confirmed that:

• Funding to extend the footpath network is not allocated within the current or forward budgets (4 years)
• Key safety measures are constrained by road conditions, vegetation, and classification
• Longer-term upgrades are dependent on future planning processes (despite Federal and State Funding increases)

This means there is no clear, committed timeline to make this route safe for children.

The bigger issue
At the same time, the Victorian Government has announced over $1 billion in infrastructure funding to support mainly regional communities.

Mount Duneed is one of the fastest growing areas in the region, yet basic safety infrastructure for children has not kept pace.

This is not acceptable. Children should not be put at risk simply trying to get to school.

The current situation reflects a gap between planning and reality, where rapid population growth has not been matched with essential infrastructure to support safe, active travel.

 
What we're asking for
We are calling on the City of Greater Geelong and the Victorian Government to prioritise immediate and funded action, including:

• Sealing of Williams Road to improve safety and reduce dust
• Delivery of safe, continuous footpaths connecting local estates to the school
• Dedicated cycling infrastructure or safe shared paths
• Speed reduction and enforceable traffic calming measures
• Safe crossing points near Mount Duneed Primary School
• A clear and committed timeline for delivery, not just investigation

 
Our community has already taken action
• Raised formal complaints and ongoing correspondence with Council
• Engaged with state representatives and relevant authorities
• Reported safety and environmental concerns to regulators
• Advocated for practical, immediate safety improvements

Despite this, meaningful action has not followed. 

Children should be able to walk or ride to school safely, regardless of where they live.

Right now, families in Mount Duneed are being left without a safe option.

 
Add your voice
This petition is about ensuring children in Mount Duneed can safely walk or ride to school, just like children in other communities.

Sign this petition to call for urgent action and accountability.

Because safety should not be optional.