Ballarat has shown its true colours in the face of the massive trauma following a Western Freeway bus crash that hospitalised dozens of Loreto College girls early on Wednesday.

Grampians Health teams worked around the clock to help the injured students, the bus company owner made a 4am dash to help rescue others, and the school and wider communities responded with outpourings of care and support. Police and emergency services, who worked at the chaotic scene near Bacchus Marsh, have also spoken of how a worse tragedy was averted by the use of seatbelts.