On Saturday 17 December the ‘ Holiday Time Campaign’ was  formally launched by  Councillor Antonella Celi of the Mornington Peninsula Shire, along with the Member for Nepean the Hon. Martin Dixon MP and Mathew McQuinn of the Mornington Peninsula Shire.

Supporting the initiative were the Rosebud CFA, Mornington SES, Surf Live Saving Victoria (Rosebud and  McCrae), Local Area Commander,  Inspector Nigel McGuirewhite and members from the State Highway Patrol.  

The foundation ‘Little Blue Dinosaur’  started the campaign after tragically losing their four year old son, Tom McLaughlin, when he stepped onto the road whilst on holiday at the beach.

The aim of the ‘Holiday Time’ campaign is to prevent this from happening again. This is done by the placement of colourful road safety banners and signs at key tourist hot spots and thoroughfares to appeal to drivers and pedestrians alike to ‘Slow Down, Kids Around’ and to ‘Hold My Hand’.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire will be the first shire within Victoria where the campaign has been used  on such a large scale.  The campaign  is designed  to raise awareness with 168 signs and five overpass banners.

The shire will be giving away free wristbands and bumper stickers for children and families, which  will be available  from the Rosebud Shire Office and the Rosebud Foreshore camping office.  The Shire was  successful in obtaining a TAC Community Road Safety Grant to implement this project.