Community-driven buggy service at Seymour station empowers diverse travellers for over a decade

Its mantra is to offer a wide range of services that enable people with diverse needs to travel across the Victorian public transport system, access events and participate in their community.

Operated locally with the help of Seymour Goulburn Lions, and other volunteers, it is overseen by Travellers Aid Seymour site supervisor Margaret Canny.

“Between 2008 and 2011 the Australian Rail Track Corporation did some works at Seymour Station and introduced a buggy service, which was removed when they were completed,” Ms Canny said.

Seeing the benefit of the buggy service, and what was lost once it was gone, a group of local people decided to see if they could get it started again.

“So Jonathan McKeown, who was regional manager of V/Line at the time, listened to what they had to say and approached Travellers Aid,” Ms Canny said.

“Travellers Aid wanted it to be a community-based program, so they contacted (registered not for profit charity) Community Accessability.

“So it’s a partnership between Travellers Aid, Community Accessability and V/Line.”

Ms Canny said locally the program's first three community volunteers all came from the Lions Club of Seymour Goulburn.

“We put an advertisement out asking for interested parties and the Lions Club were very keen,” she said.

“Leonie Willis, Linda Johns and Heather Dunn, all came from the Lions Club and have all been there since the start,” she said.

If you would like to book the buggy service, it is free of charge. You can do that online via travellersaid.org.au/service-hubs/seymour-station or by calling 5793 6210.

If you would like to volunteer to assist with the buggy service, you can call the same number.