Eighty-nine-year-old Gladys Gullock was joined by her daughters Joy Feltham, Loris Gullock and Jenny Shepherd as well as son Geoff’s partner Helen Williams on the trip to Mildura for the Dot Jenkinson Ladies Pairs competition.  

Remarkably Gladys, who turned 89 on the day of the crash, managed to come away with just minor injuries from the bus rollover, as did Helen. 

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Joy was released on Sunday with arm injuries, while both Jenny and Loris remain at the Ballarat Base Hospital with broken ribs. 

“I was looking out the front and it was like slow motion,” Joy said.  “I yelled “watch out” so people would brace and I put my hand on the roof. 

“We started hitting trees and I ended up on the window which is why I ended with glass in my head, my ear, my arms and my back.”

While Helen and Joy were both able to walk away from the smash, the two bowlers sitting directly in front of them remain in a serious condition in Melbourne.

Passersby taking part in Daniher’s Drive were among the first to respond to the smash, with people pulling over to held tend to the many injured before emergency services arrived. 

“We’re alive and we’re very grateful to the services who did an amazing job, they were all there,” Helen said. 

Hundreds of bowlers from across the region are expected to descend on the Buninyong Bowling Club on Tuesday evening for a vigil remembering Mrs Mitchell. 

Ballarat District Bowls Division chairman Sandra Chapman said the gathering would provide the bowling community with a chance to grieve together. 

Counsellors will be on hand to offer support to people at the event between 6 and 7pm.

“We’re now coming to terms with the impact this is having and individuals and on clubs,” Ms Chapman said.  

Two women in their 70s remain in The Alfred hospital, one in a critical but stable condition and the other serious but stable.  A further two women remain in the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition while six patients remained at the Ballarat Base Hospital in a stable condition.