Geelong school upgrades being completed in 2025
While some schools will receive upgrades ranging from a new wellbeing centre to unisex toilets, others are accusing the government of neglecting their needs.
Geelong
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Geelong schools will undergo more than $10m worth of upgrades next year, including a new wellbeing centre and additional unisex toilets — but parents from a local state school are accusing the government of neglecting the region’s most urgent needs.
Planned projects earmarked for completion in 2025 vary in price and scope, ranging from a $77,704 inclusive learning space at Lara Secondary College, to Bellaire Primary School’s $7.64m three-stage project, which has spanned over several years and includes new junior learning centre, building refurbishment, landscaping works and a half basketball court.
Winchelsea Primary School council president Megan Morris said the school had been advocating for significant upgrades for years and she couldn’t help but be jealous seeing other projects funded while their applications were consistently rejected.
Ms Morris said the school community was looking for any upgrades they could get, as the last repairs at the school were completed in 2019 on a shared community building.
“Surf Coast Shire and the school both use the building,” she said.
“That’s providing a lot of use for the community, but it doesn’t provide an answer to the school’s maintenance and safety issues.
“We’ve got parts of our buildings over 100 years old … there’s only so much lipstick you can put on a pig.”
She said the most urgent need was safer fencing around the school’s perimeter, with no fences in some areas.
Ms Morris said the school’s application for half a rebuild was declined in March, and in June it had reapplied for emergency fencing upgrades.
“Our fencing is inadequate,” she said.
“There’s trucks on the highway (next to the school) every day, with everything that’s been in the news recently it’s really scary.
“It’s a heightened issue as we’ve got parts of the yard that can’t even be used for the children because its near the highway.
“You just have to have one truck driver have a medical incident and it’s scary to think.”
A state government spokeswoman said: “We are committed to ensuring that all government school buildings are safe, secure, and well-maintained.”
“Winchelsea Primary School received $352,000 in capital funding in 2017-18 to refurbish classrooms and facilities, with works including roof repairs and removal of asbestos from the library,” she said.
“The school has also received more than $700,000 through the Planned Maintenance Program since 2015 and has an endorsed five-year School Maintenance Plan, with more than $73,000 provided this year.”
“We have invested a record $16.9bn over the past decade to build new schools and deliver more than 2200 school upgrades to ensure every student can learn in the best facilities.”
It’s understood all Victorian government schools receive annual maintenance funding and can apply for additional grants for other needs.
Schools receive funding through the Student Resource Package for regular maintenance, and the Planned Maintenance Program for high-priority works.
Schools without the financial capacity to rectify unforeseen and urgent infrastructure maintenance issues that pose a risk to safety can access the Emergency Maintenance Program.
In the 2023- 24 State Budget, Geelong East Primary School received $3.39m for upgrades and modernisation, following $1m received in the 2017-18 State Budget for general upgrades, with works to be complete next year.
A $3.6m building and landscaping upgrade will also be completed at Mount Duneed Regional Primary School in 2025, while Wallington Primary School will finish a $2.1m upgrade to classrooms, including in the main building, following a $180,440 oval build in 2020.
Fyans Park Primary School received $298,835 for an outdoor inclusive learning space.
Mandama Primary School in Grovedale will complete its $421,258 toilet block renovation in 2024.
The project was linked to controversy when parents alleged a man working on it asked female students inappropriate questions about their attire.
Geelong High School will have a new $495,446 inclusive outdoor learning space and unisex toilet by 2026.
At Newtown Catholic girls’ school Sacred Heart College, construction has begun on a privately-funded sports and wellness precinct, set to be completed in December 2025.
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