Bacchus Marsh bus crash: Police commend student response

All students and staff involved in the collision and rollover near Bacchus Marsh on Wednesday morning are expected to make a full recovery, with Loreto College Ballarat offering counselling to the school community.

A chartered bus carrying 27 students, from years nine to 12, and four staff was allegedly struck by a truck while approaching a roadwork scene on the Western Freeway near Condons Lane about 3.20am, causing the bus to roll off a cliff.

The students and staff, assisted by the bus driver, were able to get themselves out, and two students were airlifted to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Victoria Police divisional commander Superintendent Jason Templar said he was "incredibly grateful" no one was killed.

"Early indications from the investigation is they were all wearing seatbelts, which has probably saved having any fatalities from the bus, which is fantastic," he told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

"I've got to say, a number of the injuries occurred from the release from the seats, obviously as the bus was upside down - had that not been the case and no seatbelts were worn, we could have been talking about a different outcome.

"I've spoken to the first responders, they were really impressed with the way the students conducted themselves, and the teachers, in self-extracting themselves from the vehicle."

Loreto principal Michelle Brodrick said she was overwhelmed by the support from the Ballarat community.

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"I cannot thank Ballarat and the community enough, there has been a strong outpouring of help, text messages, flowers, lots of people reaching out to offer all the support they possibly can," she said.

"I think when students are involved, it does really touch so many people, and Ballarat is a very close community, we know they're in everyone's thoughts."

The students were on their way to Melbourne airport for a trip to a NASA space camp in the USA.

"There was one student who said she didn't expect she was going to expect zero-gravity in the same way as she was on space camp in the first 24 hours - there are still lots of people with humour," she said.

The school will be open on Thursday for any families or staff who require support.

It's understood the truck driver, in his 50s, remains in hospital with serious injuries and has not yet spoken to police.

It's expected the Western Freeway will be closed Melbourne-bound from Ballan until at least midnight as the recovery and investigations continue - drivers are advised to detour at Ballarat to Geelong to get to Melbourne.

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