Making life easier for families
Live outside of Glen Forrest and Darlington? We have dedicated bus services available for families.
Bus Services
The College provides dedicated bus services to six main regions. All buses arrive at the Glen Forrest Campus in the morning and depart from the Glen Forrest Campus in the afternoon. There is also an intercampus bus service, morning and afternoon, that links the Junior School (Darlington) and Senior School (Glen Forrest), ensuring that Junior School students are also able to access the bus services. The intercampus bus link is also handy for parents who have children in Junior School* and Senior School.
For more information, call (08) 9298 9100 or email bus@helena.wa.edu.au.
*Due to supervision ratios required under the National Quality Framework applicable to Kindergarten students, we are not able to offer the bus services listed below to students in Kindy.
The morning and afternoon buses pick up and drop off in Glen Forrest, Hovea, Parkerville, Stoneville, Mt Helena, Chidlow and Sawyers Valley.
View detailed written description with stops here.
There is also a complimentary intercampus bus service, morning and afternoon, that links the Junior School (Darlington) and Senior School (Glen Forrest), ensuring that Junior School students are also able to access the bus services. The intercampus bus link is also handy for parents who have children in Junior School* and Senior School. Please note, students must still be registered as a bus user, and seats must be pre-booked to travel on the link bus.
*Excludes Kindy students
Who operates the bus service?
West Coast Bus Charter operate the Helena College bus routes. All buses use the RollCall management system enabling live bus tracking and electronic ticketing via the RollCall parent app. Buses all have air-conditioning, CCTV onboard, seatbelts and GPS tracking.
How do I register to use the service?
If you have not already completed a registration form you will need to complete the form at this link. Once this is complete, you will be sent a “Welcome” email inviting you to download the RollCall bus management app.
How do I pay?
All payments for bus travel are made via the RollCall parent app.
Will my child need a Smartrider?
Students should use their school-provided Smartrider. All Year 6 to 12 students are issued with Smartriders, and parents can request one for Junior School students. New and replacement cards can be ordered via a link on my.helena. If a student forgets their card, the bus driver can tag them on/off manually if required.
How much does it cost?
Bus service charges will be adjusted from Term Two 2026. Bus fees have remained unchanged for a number of years, with the last increase applied in 2016. Since that time, there have been significant increases in operating costs, including fuel, maintenance, and wages. Following a recent review, and in light of current cost pressures affecting all transport providers, the College will be implementing a permanent adjustment to bus service fees to ensure the ongoing viability of the service.
- Casual travel (pay as you go) is $5.50 per trip for local routes and $11 per trip for York and Toodyay.
- For frequent bus travellers reserved seating is available. Reserved seating allows unlimited travel on the nominated route.
- Reserved seating for AM routes is $190 per term ($380 York/Toodyay)
- Reserved seating for PM routes is $190 per term ($380 York/Toodyay)
- Reserved seating for AM and PM routes is $380 per term. ($760 York/Toodyay).
- All bookings and payments must be done via the RollCall App.
We will continue to monitor costs and aim to keep fees as stable as possible while maintaining a safe and reliable service for students.
Do I have to use the RollCall app?
Yes. You will need to book your child onto the relevant route on the days/times they will be travelling on the bus unless you have arranged to purchase a reserved seat for a term charge - in this instance your child will have a permanent booking on the designated route for the term. For 'pay as you go' casual users, bookings can be made up to 30 days in advance, or as late as 5am on the day of travel for morning routes, or as late as 12 noon on the day of travel of afternoon routes.
Can Kindy students use the service?
No. Due to supervision ratios required under the National Quality Framework applicable to Kindergarten students, we are not able to offer the bus services listed above to students enrolled in Kindy.
Who do I speak to for further information?
All enquiries related to the bus services can be emailed to bus@helena.wa.edu.au.
*Bus routes are reviewed every semester, and were last updated on 28 July 2025. All live changes will be published via the RollCall app.