Year 12 Scotch students angry after being banned from parking on campus

The leafy streets of Hawthorn could soon be clogged up with more Porsches with P plates after Scotch College banned students from parking on campus.

Scotch College in Hawthorn has imposed a ban on students parking at the school. Picture: Tony Gough

The leafy streets of Hawthorn could soon be clogged up with more Porsches with P plates, with year 12 students at up-market Scotch College told they can no longer park on campus.

The school, which charges senior tuition fees of $43,000, is one of many elite colleges with a growing number of 18-year-old year 12 students who drive their own cars to campus.

The Herald Sun understands that Scotch had until recently allowed senior boys to park on its luxurious 27ha campus near the boat sheds along the Yarra River.

However, the school has now forbidden year 12s from parking on campus, leading a number of senior students to create a change.org petition arguing that “Scotch College must reinstate the Yr 12 parking area”.

The 27-hectare campus has a number of car parks which will now only be available for use by staff and visitors.

The change.org petition is calling for the reinstatement of the year 12 car park.

So far, 36 students have signed the petition, which will be presented to the principal Scott Marsh at a meeting next week.

The petition notes the banning of student on-campus parking “will have unforeseen consequences, growing in scale throughout the year and will result in growing irritation by local residents and staff”.

Many of the nearby streets have two-hour parking restrictions or require residents permits for parking.

“This petition hopes to change that. With your support, your signature can help to contribute to the reinstatement of the Year 12 car park, and this issue can be in the past before it comes a massive issue for our school community,” it reads.

One school source said students now have to “find carparking in surrounding streets. Previously they were allowed to park near the boat sheds on campus”.

“Students are grumbling about this,” they said.

It’s the second time in the past year that members of the school community have resorted to a public petition to get their voices heard, with parents protesting timetable changes last year.

The Herald Sun understands Dr Marsh is still struggling to institute curriculum and timetable changes which have been opposed by some parents and staff for reducing the time spent by students on core subjects.

The school’s latest financial report shows the campus, building and improvements were valued at $243m in 2023, up from $214m in 2022.

As well as the Hawthorn campus, the school owns 80 hectares in forest at Healesville and a camp at Cowes on Philip Island.

The school was contacted for comment.

Originally published as Year 12 Scotch students angry after being banned from parking on campus