Mark Irvin, 21, of Miners Rest, is recovering in Melbourne's Alfred Hospital after he was freed from the wreckage of his car following a head-on collision on Monday night.

The accident occurred between Creswick Rd and Gillies St.

Doctors have told Mark's family that he is expected to make a full recovery.

Mark's parents Michael and Ailsa, his brothers Craig, 29, and Jason, 26, and Mark's girlfriend Paige Austin, 21, have maintained a bed-side vigil at the hospital.

The Ballarat Health Services apprentice medical equipment technician has been taken off the critical list and is now in a serious but stable condition, with major injuries to his legs.

Speaking from the hospital yesterday, Jason said the family was remaining hopeful and positive about Mark's recovery.

"They are saying in about three months he will be on his feet again," he said.

"There's a long road ahead though."

Paige, Mark's girlfriend of more than five years, said they were "rapt" with his progress.

"He's just so strong and brave," she said.

"We're just rapt to see him every day making improvements. We're really proud of him."

Jason said Mark had said a few words to his family and hospital staff since he was airlifted from the scene of the fatality.

"He's like the old Mark, saying phrases he would usually say," Jason said.

"The other night he said, `Carn the Bombers' and another time a nurse knocked him and he said, `She's right, she's right'."

Mark, a member of the Learmonth Football Club, had been umpiring the reserves this season after injuring his knee while playing last year.

vp+6Jason said that before the accident, Mark had been planning to make a comeback to football next weekend alongside himself and Craig in the side's last game against Dunnstown.

He said he believed the community's overwhelming support for Mark was helping him recover.

"I'm sure Mark would say thanks for all your support. He's definitely using it and getting better because of it," he said.