Overview

• The inquest will run for nine days starting in March 2026 to examine the deaths of five patrons at the Royal Daylesford Hotel’s outdoor dining area.
• Criminal charges against type-1 diabetic driver William Swale were dismissed by a Ballarat magistrate in September 2024 after finding his hypoglycaemic actions involuntary.
• Investigators will assess the adequacy of barriers and other protective measures for outdoor dining spaces in light of the vehicle’s impact.
• The hearing will review existing guidelines and educational practices for monitoring hypoglycaemia in type-1 diabetic drivers.
• A further directions hearing will be held to finalise the inquest’s scope before more than 60 witnesses—including medical and traffic experts—are called to testify.