New zoning policies are effectively dividing towns such as Beechworth and Wahgunyah in two, with an arbitrary line dictating which students are covered by the Victorian government’s school bus program.

In one instance, the introduction of the bizarre zoning means a Wahgunyah family can send three of their children to Wangaratta’s Galen College on the state school bus for free but now have to pay for their fourth.

In a further twist, Corowa children who attend Galen College can still travel for free on the Victorian school bus system.

The changes have led parents and North East MPs Tim McCurdy and Bill Tilley to call for “commonsense” to prevail as they take their argument to Education Minister James Merlino.

About half the Galen College families in Beechworth and Wahgunyah were informed they were no longer eligible for the free school bus because there were technically other Catholic schools closer, in Myrtleford and Yarrawonga.

There are not, however, school buses running to these towns and, in the case of Wahgunyah, the difference is no more than two kilometres.

To continue sending their children to Galen by bus, parents will have to pay between $960 and $1240 per child per year, depending on the distance.

But families who happen to fall on the right side of the school zone can still travel for free.

A spokeswoman for Mr Merlino said the fares only applied to new students; she did not answer questions on whether there was any intention to re-examine zoning or consider the individual circumstances of towns or families.

Wahgunyah’s Jessica White, who has four children at Galen, was informed of the change in December last year — she chose Galen as two of her children had been bullied at the local high school.

Mr Merlino’s spokeswoman said the three eldest White children could still travel on the school bus for free but the fourth, who started year 7 this year, would have to pay.

On top of that, Mrs White said the zoning meant the White children’s school friends one street over did not and would not have to pay.

“It’s basically a town divided,” she said.

“They (the government) are trying to make it like the city rules, which just don’t apply in the country.”

Benambra MP Bill Tilley and Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy said about eight Wahgunyah families, including the Whites, had spoken with them and both MPs had contacted Mr Merlino.

The review occurred in 2013 during the previous Coalition government, with school bus policy determined by the Education Department but administered by Public Transport Victoria.

Mr McCurdy said it was always “tricky” to get the balance right and that, without a regional director making decisions, there was a sad lack of discretion on cases like this.

“Both these towns (Beechworth and Wahgunyah) are out of my electorate but we have the same problem in towns like Whorouly, where Myrtleford is closer to them but Wangaratta is the community of interest, perhaps because the parents work there,” he said.

“There needs to be a regional director, the commonsense factor has gone.”

Mr Tilley agreed “commonsense has to apply”.