Nine years after the Mary Street bus shelter in Heyfield was blown over during a wind event in December 2017, the structure has still not been replaced, despite repeated assurances from the Victorian Government.

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said after a long period of back and forth between Wellington Shire Council (WSC) and the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) over whose responsibility it was, WSC was correct that the rebuild funding was a DTP requirement.

“WSC has been extremely proactive in seeking government reinstatement of its asset, which, once constructed, Council will maintain as per its service agreement.

“After denying it was their responsibility, DTP finally conceded it sat with them and Minister, Ben Carroll wrote to me in both 2023 and 2025 committing to its rebuild.

“Despite this, the government is now shirking this responsibility, and the community is rightfully fed up with the excuses.

“It’s not the Taj Mahal we are asking them to rebuild, it’s a bus shelter, important for elderly residents.

“Senior citizens have been forced to wait in heavy rain without shelter while travelling to medical appointments. It’s just not good enough,” said Mr Bull.

“The responsibility is clear, and the community has waited long enough. Stop deflecting, support Council, and build the shelter.”

Mr Bull said there had been more than 32,000 services that have come and gone since the shelter was damaged. After nine years, it’s time.

Caption: The Nationals’ Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, at the site of the former Mary Street bus shelter. Mr Bull is urging the Allan Labor Government to keep its word and replace the infrastructure, nine years after it was blown down.

Monday, 27 April 2026