Warrnambool community mourns young lives lost in horror crash at Winslow

Joel Moon, 16, and a 19-year-old female from Mailors Flat were passengers in a vehicle that collided with a tree on Harry Goods Road about 3.40pm.

They died at the scene.

The Standard has been unable to confirm the identity of the 19-year-old.

The driver, a 17-year-old from Dennington, remains in a critical but stable condition at The Alfred hospital.

Warrnambool College principal Dave Clift said the school sent its deepest sympathy to the Moon family and their friends.

"It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death of Warrnambool College year 11 student Joel Moon who was involved in a car accident," he wrote in a letter to the school community on Friday.

"Joel was a highly valued member of our school community and brought much joy to our teachers and fellow students over his five years at the school. We will miss his smile, his humour and his incredible energy for life.

"It is with great concern that we report a previously enrolled student was also impacted and is receiving critical care in hospital at the moment. We extend her family our support and well wishes in her recovery."

Mr Clift urged students needing additional support or professional help to contact the school on 5564 4444 or warrnambool.co@education.vic.gov.au.

A GoFundMe in memory of Joel has since been created by road safety campaigner John Maher, who has spent much of the past two decades imploring students about the dangers on the roads following the death of his youngest daughter Carmen in a car crash in November 1995.

"For 16 years I have brought Carmen's Road Safety message to the students at Warrnambool College. Today I received a phone call from the school with the tragic news that one of its students, Joel Moon, had lost his life in a car accident," Mr Maher wrote.

"My heart breaks for Joel's family and friends, his school, his teachers, and everyone who loved Joel."

Mr Maher said that in lieu of flowers, the Moon family had requested donations to be made to Carmen's Road Safety via the GoFundMe, which had raised more than $20,000 as at 11am Sunday.

"What an amazing family," he said.

"I am humbled."

Victoria Police western region division two Superintendent Martin Hardy said two young lives lost on a south-west road was "an absolute tragedy".

"It is just terrible," he said.

"Now is the time to support one another and reflect on the young lives lost and the young girl who remains in hospital."

Superintendent Hardy said Victoria Police major collision unit detectivities were investigating the cause of the crash.

"This was a single vehicle that left the road and struck a tree on a quiet little dirt road of Winslow," he said.

"It's a real tragedy. The cause of the crash is still under investigation but it's a timely reminder to young drivers in the area to drive to the conditions, be careful and always ensure you have an authorised person with you."

Dozens of people took to the GoFundMe page at the weekend to pay their respects.

"I've never met a person quite like Joel. He was an incredible, cheeky, intelligent and overall amazing person. He never failed to put a smile on my face with his unique sense of humor," one person said.

"Fond memories of a wonderful young man with his whole life ahead of him, cruelly taken too soon," another said.

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