Thursday, 3 May 2018

South Gippsland secondary students are a step closer to getting a new school with world-class facilities, with construction now underway on the rebuild of Wonthaggi Secondary College.

Minister for Education James Merlino today turned the sod on the $32.5 million project to completely rebuild the school’s ageing senior campus and deliver a new local sports stadium.

The new senior campus will be located on a purpose-built site next to the Bass Coast Specialist School and will be a major step in achieving the community’s dream of a dedicated education and learning precinct.

It has been designed by ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects, with builders SJ Higgins appointed to construct it. The new campus is expected to be completed in 2020 and will feature a multi-sport stadium that will be shared with the community, including three competition-grade basketball courts.

The stadium will provide a much-needed home for the Wonthaggi Amateur Basketball Association, which has 400 members, no home facilities and has been campaigning for new facilities for years. It will also be used by local netball players and meet growing demand for modified versions of the game like Fast5 and Rock Up Netball.

Students and teachers will benefit from new outdoor learning areas, a central plaza, a library, and specialist facilities for visual arts, graphics, materials technology and science.

The Andrews Labor Government has delivered $31 million for the upgrade, with Bass Coast Shire Council contributing $1.5 million towards the costs of the new shared stadium.

Gippsland schools benefited in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 Budget this week, including funding for Boisdale Consolidated School, Orbost North Primary, Orbost Secondary, Kongwak Primary, Tarwin Valley Primary and the Traralgon Education Regeneration Project.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino:

“We got on with the job of rebuilding and modernising Wonthaggi Secondary College so that families across South Gippsland can access the first-rate secondary school facilities they have been crying out for.”

“We know that Wonthaggi Secondary College has some of the best teachers, students and staff going around and now they’ll have world-class classrooms, buildings and sporting facilities to match.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport John Eren:

“This community has been calling for better facilities and we’ve listened. We’re building a new home local players can be proud while making our clubs more competitive.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing:

“The start of construction of the new school is start of such an exciting new chapter for Wonthaggi. Once complete, the new secondary senior campus and indoor sports stadium will be a community resource to inspire and encourage students, teachers and the community for many years to come.”