A NEW Red Cross minibus connecting Millicent district residents with the Blue Lake city made it maiden voyage this week.
The nine-seater van will be used to help people without appropriate transport access to social outings and medical specialist appointments.
Red Cross Limestone Coast regional services manager David Walshaw said the new vehicle would be based in Millicent on a trial basis for the next six months.
He said a similar twice-weekly trip had operated between the two population centres for several years but had used SUVs and sedans.
He said access to the larger vehicle would allow Red Cross to expand its services to eligible residents without access to transport, with eight drivers donating their time on a roster basis.
“The plan will have the first pickup in Mount Burr each Tuesday and Thursday and call by Millicent,” Mr Walshaw said.
Grant funding from the State and Federal governments means Red Cross charges only $8 for the round trip between Millicent and Mount Gambier.
Passengers must meet certain eligibility criteria, which is available from the Red Cross regional office in Mount Gambier.
“At present, around 20-25 persons use the transport service at various times,” Mr Walshaw said.
“There are also emergency occasions when we can access the sedan owned by Millicent and District Hospital.
“It might be that someone might be referred from the Medical Clinic Millicent to a specialist in Mount Gambier for an urgent appointment.
“If that person is transport disadvantaged, one of our volunteer Red Cross drivers can make an unscheduled trip to Mount Gambier.”
Mr Walshaw said Red Cross was grateful to Millicent Hospital for its support, as well as Wattle Range Council.
“After a long period of supplying sedans, the council had supplied a Ford Territory in 2017 which was now superseded by the Toyota minibus.
“Wattle Range Council also assists us as their Millicent Visitor Information Centre staff take the bookings for the Mount Gambier run as well as some administrative duties.”
