Lauriston Girls’ School investigated for allegedly breaking ring of steel to send students to Howqua campus

The head of Lauriston has denied the school did anything wrong when it sent its students to a regional campus in the midst of strict travel ban between metro and rural areas.

Lauriston Girls' School has a Howqua campus in the high country near Mansfield. Picture: Ian Currie

The head of Lauriston says the school hasn’t done anything wrong in sending students to a rural campus in the middle of lockdown.

Principal Susan Just told the Herald Sun: “we are not aware of doing anything that contravenes government restrictions”.

“As we have throughout the entire coronavirus pandemic, Lauriston Girls’ School have followed the advice and directions from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education on when our students were safely able to return to their campuses,” she said.

The Sunday Herald Sun this week reported the school was under investigation by the health department for sending year nine students to Howqua in the Victorian high country on September 16 when travel between metro and rural areas was not allowed.

Ms Just said she will “continue to comply and cooperate” with DHHS.

Those supporting Lauriston spoke out in its defence on social media and elsewhere, arguing restrictions changed on September 13 allowing rural students to go back to school for term four.

They pointed out that DHHS rules allowed metro students to attend schools in rural areas if it was their designated campus and if they attended for more than 12 weeks.

No metropolitan schools were given permission to attend camps in country areas or access their rural campuses when Lauriston year nine students went to Howqua in the High Country on September 16.

Penalties of $9913 could apply to the Armadale school, which charges fees of around $36,000 per year.

Lauriston principal Susan Just told the Sunday Herald Sun that DHHS “confirmed that in line with the Regional Victoria Roadmap, Lauriston Year 9 students were permitted to return to the Howqua campus from 14 September”.

But this has been denied by the department, which has now launched an investigation.

“No exemptions have been given to metropolitan private schools to allow their students to resume camps or make use of remote campuses,” a statement from the department said.

Ms Just told the Sunday Herald Sun “our students know only too well this is a privilege and appreciate this is yet to be experienced more widely among other students in Victoria”.

“Year nine teachers and students are extremely grateful to have returned to campus for an early start to Term 4”.

It comes as another private school, Methodist Ladies’ College in Kew, tried and failed repeatedly to get permission for their year nine students to attend their Gippsland campus Marshmead during lockdown.

Girls from MLC only went back to Marshmead this week – nearly eight weeks after the Lauriston students.

Students at the elite school typically spend all of Year 9 at the rural campus. Picture: Ian Currie

The Lauriston Howqua campus, located in the High Country near Mount Buller, is billed as offering lessons ranging from “art classes held in the outdoor classroom to science classes taught on the banks of the Howqua River”. The program includes hiking, mountain biking, rogaining, running, rock climbing, cross country, skiing, snowboarding and horse riding.

The campus, located 24kms from Mansfield, also includes scientific, computer and research facilities, a refuge used for dance and music, a library and an arts centre.

The students do not attend any classes at the school’s main Armadale campus and usually go to Howqua for the entire year.

Ms Just said the Lauriston girls who travelled on September 16 were tested twice for covid, both before travelling and 11 days later. A covid-safe plan for the campus included face masks, temperature tests, social distancing and students not being able to leave the campus except for essential medical appointments and to participate in the outdoor wilderness program.

The investigation comes as school camps are now allowed and there are no restrictions on travel between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Camp facilities can only be used by a single school at any one time.

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