Stonehaven bus crash as it happened: One child dead, at least 20 taken to hospital after school bus rollover west of Geelong

That is where we will leave our coverage of the tragedy at Stonehaven today.

Here is a summary of today’s events;

• A schoolgirl is dead and multiple students were injured after a horror school bus crashed outside Geelong on Wednesday morning.
• The crash occurred about 8.20am on the Hamilton Highway in Stonehaven, about 12 kilometres west of Geelong.
• Police say the crash happened as the bus turned left onto the Hamilton Highway from Friend in Hand Road.
• The bus was carrying 28 secondary school-aged children to Christian College Geelong.
• The girl died at the scene, and a boy was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Another child was later taken to the RCH by ambulance.
• The driver of the bus, a 76-year-old Hamlyn Heights man, was taken to Geelong University Hospital. He was later released and is helping police with their enquiries.
• Eight students were taken to the same hospital by road ambulance. Another 11 were bused to the hospital for assessment. Ten children are still being treated.
• The cause of the crash is yet to be determined.
• Christian College Geelong has suspended all school bus services until further notice.
• Premier Jacinta Allan, as well as other state and federal politicians, offered her deepest sympathies to those affected by the crash and the wider school community.

For the latest updates on this tragic incident, head to this story.

Thank you for following our live coverage.

Just a 15-minute drive away from the site of a horror bus crash that killed one student and left others seriously injured on Monday morning, Christian College’s Highton Campus is mostly empty at 5pm.

A fleet of around 12 school buses marked with the school crest are parked in a row inside the campus grounds.

On any other school day, they would be ferrying kids home, but it was announced earlier that bus services would be paused by the school until further notice.

Some cars come and go from the car park - largely belonging to the local swim school, who hold classes at the college after hours.

Just around the corner - the Waurn Ponds senior campus is similarly quiet.

The school day ended with its regular bell time, according to an email seen by The Age.

But parents were free to pick up their kids early on Monday. Counselling and chaplain services were also made available to students throughout the day.

Turning now to Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll, who has spoken about the bus crash tragedy.

He confirmed the bus was headed to three Geelong campuses, which were a junior, middle and senior school.

“My thoughts, prayers are with… the young girl’s parents. I can only imagine what the news and what the harrowing scenes would have been like after that terrible incident,” he said.

“You can only imagine what the children themselves must have gone through when they realised what [they went ] through in those first few moments, the first 10, to 20 minutes would have been horrific and truly awful.”

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is holding a press conference in Melbourne. The premier is expected to speak about today’s tragedy in Stonehaven.

More images from Age photographer Chris Hopkins have just been filed. The school bus has been lifted onto its wheels and will be taken away for inspection.

In a letter seen by The Age, Christian College Geelong has said that the school would not be running the afternoon bus routes and would advise when they would resume.

“The school day will conclude at the usual time, however you are welcome to collect your child early if you prefer. After the school day, we will be providing care and supervision of your child in their campus library until such time that you are able to collect them,” the letter reads.

The school’s principal Mathilda Joubert said in the correspondence that students were not informed about the incident “as we respect parents and carers may wish to speak to their children first.”

Two children are currently at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, but their condition has not been released.

Another nine children and the bus driver were taken by ambulance to University Geelong Hospital.

The bus driver has been released from hospital and is assisting police with their enquiries.

Up to 14 children were also taken to hospital by bus for observation.