Fed-up Helensburgh parents are fighting for better transport options to Bulli High School as children face journeys approaching 90 minutes one way, giving rise to safety and wellbeing concerns.
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There is no bus service between Helensburgh and the school, so students have to get a train between Helensburgh Station - which lies about 2.5 kilometres from the centre of town - and Bulli.
In the afternoon, the train arrives back at Helensburgh at 4.01pm - 13 minutes after one bus is due to depart for the township, and 19 minutes before the next.
For year seven student Saskia, this means a long day that begins when she leaves home about 7.20am and returns home about 4.40pm, after which she has to fit in homework and often sport.
She said this left her feeling tired.
The sheer time the journey takes is not the only issue that is worrying parents.
Danielle Beazley's young son was attacked last year by another student during the train journey.
Mrs Beazley said there was another incident early on in the year when a man under the influence of alcohol or drugs reportedly harassed girls in year seven on the train, an account also reported by another parent, Penelope Stone.
"This stuff is going to happen when you have a bunch of kids unsupervised for that length of time," Mrs Beazley said.
The platform at Bulli was also "packed" of an afternoon, she said, which posed another danger.
Mrs Stone has two children at Bulli High School and another who will attend in future.
She said there should be some additional supervision with so many children in one place at a time, adding that putting that many students on the train meant they had "uncontrolled, unsupervised and unsupported" interactions with the public.
There have also been instances where students have been left stranded at earlier stops due to emergency incidents that have stopped the train.
The parents said inclement weather and patchy replacement bus services in 2023 meant some students were unable to get to school at all.
"If something goes wrong, if trains aren't running for some reason, the whole system falls apart," Mrs Beazley said.
Concerned parents have suggested a bus service between the school and Helensburgh, or a bus that meets the train in the afternoon.
Mrs Stone said there had been concern that there would not be enough students to fill a dedicated school bus to the northern suburbs, but it was an option that had not been tried.
"It also creates a much safer passage of travel to school," she said.
In their long-running efforts for change, parents have approached Heathcote MP Maryanne Stuart and Transport Minister Jo Haylen for help.
"I'm hopeful that we can resolve these issues, because we take it, and I take it, very seriously that it is a government responsibility to get students safely to and from school each day," Ms Stuart said.
A spokesperson for Ms Haylen said improving services between Helensburgh and the school was an election commitment and the government was working through options to fulfil that promise.
After the 2023 election, the spokesperson said, the government had established a bus taskforce to improve services in the Illawarra and across the state.
"The taskforce is now helping government work through how we can deliver improved services between Helensburgh and Bulli High School, and better services for passengers across the Illawarra," they said.
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
