Dooralong Public School auction put on hold

An eleventh hour decision from the education minister has seen the sale of Dooralong Public School put on hold to explore other uses for the historic site.

The sale of the Dooralong Public School has been put on hold to explore other avenues for the site.

A public auction was scheduled for the site at 1046 Dooralong Rd at 10.30am on Wednesday but was called off at the last minute by NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell.

“The public auction, scheduled for today, of the old Dooralong Public School Site has been deferred to allow for further consideration of the sites use,” Central Coast Parliamentary Secretary Adam Crouch said.

“I would like to thank the Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell for listening to the concerns put forward by myself on behalf of our community.

Capital One Real Estate has listed the 10 acre site for sale.

The Dooralong Public School opened in 1903 and closed in 2011.

“I will update the community as more information becomes available regarding the future of the site.”

The Express understands that concerns have been expressed over the lack of community consultation around the sale and potential development of the site.

The school was closed in November 2011 after only five students were enrolled for the year and not long after the closure, the community was consulted on its future.

Since then, the site, which is zoned for educational uses, has remained abandoned.

When news of the looming sale broke in February, Wyong state Labor MP David Harris, who was a former principal of the school, called the sale “shameful”.

“The Dooralong Valley community is rightly outraged after they found out that the historic school site will be auctioned off,” he said.

Dooralong Public School pupils playing in the schoolyard back in 2003. Picture: Waide Maguire

“The NSW Government has ambushed the community because there has been no consultation on potential alternate community use.

“I have been contacted by upset community members in regards to this sell off of a community asset.”

Dooralong Public School opened in 1903 and closed in 2011.

Capital One Real Estate described the sale of the 10 acre site as an “opportunity for the astute”.

“The property is of aesthetic significance as it sits in a picturesque setting, reflecting the charm of the circa 1900 country school,” the advertising stated.

“The curtilage includes examples of classrooms and other ancillary buildings from throughout the 20th century, and provides evidence of the evolution in the Department of Education’s school designs for country suburbs over 100 years.”