Earlier this month the state government announced a $78,288 grant that went a little over half way to creating a new community bus service. In hot succession, the federal government has made up the shortfall, with a Veteran and Community Grant to the tune of $66,095 now making the bus service a certainty.

The grant means that an order can now be placed by Killarney Memorial Aged Care for the 25 seater bus, in readiness for conversion to allow wheelchair access.

The Aged Care Facility is working as a coordinator of the project that will see a 25 seater bus put in operation in Killarney. chiefly with the aim of ferrying residents around the town, but also for the occasional trip into Warwick to allow folk to meet doctor's appointments and so on. The bus will be modified so the back row can accommodate two wheelchairs, with a wheelchair lift installed, and the back row of seats removed to allow the change.

Earlier this month, Killarney Aged Care manager Trevor Weller said that receipt of federal funding was hoped to be confirmed by October's end, and would be followed swiftly by the despatch of an order for the bus. The program is now running very much a month ahead of schedule. The bus service should be in operation early next year.