The 47-year-old Elaine man, who crashed on Meredith’s Eclipse Road on Saturday night, will be charged on summons with dangerous driving causing serious injury, negligently causing serious injury and drink driving offences.

Police say his nine-year-old daughter was flung from the vehicle when it crashed about 7.30pm. She remains in the Royal Children’s Hospital in a serious condition.

Four of the passengers in the car were the driver’s children, while a fifth passenger was believed to have been a friend to one of the children. 

All six were hospitalised with varying injuries.

A man and woman, both aged 20, were taken to Ballarat Base Hospital.

The driver and a nine-year-old boy were taken to Geelong Hospital with minor injuries, while another 18-year-old man was also taken to Geelong Hospital, with serious injuries.

Eclipse Road is a dirt track about 8km east of Meredith, on the edge of the Brisbane Ranges National Park.