Community fights for school
The “hill people” have declared war. In their sights is plan by the State government to sell the former Hill End primary school that closed a decade ago.
From Ministerial and parliamentary offices in Spring St, Melbourne, and various departmental offices a small parcel of land in the “bush”, that doesn’t serve any government purpose, may seem a bit of a nuisance.
“Sell it and get it off the books” might appear to the people in those offices as a reasonable thing to do.
But, at Hill End, the local community doesn’t see anything “reasonable” about it at all. They are seeing red. Since the school closed Hill End Community has maintained and used the property for many local events.
It hosts meetings, an alpaca camp, four markets a year, history gatherers group, art and quilt shows, private functions and is where the local newsletter, the Hill End Herald, is produced.
HECI wants it maintained in public hands – not sold - with ownership transferred from the Education Department to the Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning and HECI appointed as the management committee.
That’s what happens with most public halls and recreation reserves, president Chris Williams said.
Ms Williams and about 35 other locals were at the old school last Wednesday to tell Upper House member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath and Baw Baw shire’s Councillor Michael Leaney exactly what they think about the government’s plan.
They needed little convincing, Cr Leaney commenting there was across the political spectrum support from local State members Ms Bath (The Nationals) and Upper House colleague Harriet Shing (Labor Party) and Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood (Liberal).
Baw Baw Shire council was also supportive, he said, and another Eastern Victoria Upper House Member, Jeff Bourman of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, has promised to visit Hill End in about a week or so.
The afternoon tea spread HECI put on at last Wednesday’s gathering – cream cakes, slices, sandwiches, the works - was typical friendly small country community hospitality.
But it did not disguise the depth of feeling all that were there hold for the need to keep the old school in community hands.
Ms Bath urged them to get together a petition that she said she’d present to parliament and Cr Leaney drew on former Prime Minister’s dismissal speech in 1975 to urge them to “maintain the rage!”. They don’t need much urging.
Ms Williams said she believed having the buildings and site remain in public hands had been “signed, sealed and delivered”.
That was until about last October when HECI found out the government planned to sell it. “It has been a real fight since then,” she said. As well as the old school’s benefit to the community several people were keen to tell The Gazette of the local historical importance.
They said the land was originally donated by a local property owner and the first school built by volunteers.
That burned down in the 1939 bushfires, its replacement also burned (thought to be because of an electrical fault) and replaced by the present building.
The grounds, in which HEC maintains attractive gardens and lawns, are also home to the old Fumina South school, built in the early 1900s and relocated to Hill End in 1991.
The “hill people” will fight this battle all the way.