Bowls bus crash victim remembered as 'lovely mother hen'

A beloved grandmother has died and two other people are fighting for life in hospital after a bus returning from a ladies bowls tournament rolled in the Victorian town of Avoca.

Carmel Mitchell, a 71-year-old Creswick woman, was sitting in the row behind the driver’s seat when the driver of the bus lost control on the Sunraysia Highway about 3.10pm yesterday.

The Ballarat Coachlines bus was carrying 28 women returning from a ladies pairs tournament in Mildura when it left the highway, hit a tree, and rolled down an embankment.

Mrs Mitchell died at the scene, Victoria Police said.

Mrs Mitchell was one of 13 children and was a mother of three. She is also survived by seven grandchildren.

“She was a very active member of the community,” Major Collisions Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Amos said during a press conference today.

He said that her husband is “struggling immensely” following Mrs Mitchell’s death.

“He’s probably lost the single most important thing in his life,” Det. Snr Sgt Amos said.

A fellow passenger described Mrs Mitchell as a “lovely mother hen” who organised annual lawn bowls tournaments.

The bus driver suffered facial injuries and worked to free other passengers after escaping through an emergency exit.

Eighteen people required medical treatment and 12 were taken to Ballarat Base Hospital.

Two other women are in critical conditions at the Alfred Hospital, and another was transferred to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Det. Snr Sgt Amos said all passengers and the driver were wearing seatbelts at the time of the incident.

He said it was “too early” to speculate what caused the deadly crash, but a number of factors including the speed of the vehicle will form part of the investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000