Melbourne’s elite schools boast luxe multimillion dollar facilities compared to public counterparts

They charge from $20,000 to $70,000 a year in fees but also receive government funding. Check out the very ‘extra’ extras at our posh private schools.

Geelong Grammar is Australia’s most expensive school.

Private schools are spending more than $30 million on athletics and aquatic stadiums, performance auditoriums and wellbeing centres in an escalating facilities arms race.

Some schools are charging fees of more than $40,000 a year but asking parents to donate additional funds for expansive building works.

Meanwhile, some nearby state schools have one-tenth of the money in their capital budgets, and some as little as one-thirtieth. Such schools constantly battle overcrowding, no airconditioning, substandard classrooms and often not enough toilets.

At Canterbury Girls’ School the wall of a dilapidated 1970s-era building collapsed near students and My School data shows the public girls’ school received only $183,000 in government capital funds, bringing its total capital budget to $729,000.

Scotch College, Hawthorn’s Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science.

In some cases, private school extras cost nearly the same amount as an entire state primary school.

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar has recently constructed a gym and basketball stadium for $25 million while the new Greenvale North West Primary School will cost $21 million in total.

It comes as all state and federal governments spend around $15 billion a year on schools nationally, including $1.9 billion for capital works.

The state government has a four-year $402 million non-government capital fund which recently allocated $4.8 million to Bacchus Marsh Grammar, $4.9 million to Heritage College and $2 million to St Paul’s Anglican Grammar.

The Sports and Aquatic Centre at Westbourne Grammar School.

Australian Education Union data from MySchool shows the four wealthiest private schools in Australia spent $402 million on capital upgrades and facilities for about 13,000 students. This is more than 1800 other schools combined with 107,000 students.

Other schools with large capital budgets include Wesley College, Melbourne Grammar, Caulfield Grammar and Haileybury College.

Ivanhoe Grammar Sports and Aquatic Centre also includes a 52m pool.

Melbourne Grammar’s website says it has spent $174 million in capital development since 2001 and recently raised $15 million from parents and alumni to support the building of the $34 million world-class Geoff Handbury Science and Technology Hub.

ALL THE FEATURES MONEY CAN BUY

Ivanhoe Grammar (Ivanhoe Campus)

Fees for Year 9: $28,200

Fees for Yr 12: $28,220

Facilities, features and plans: New hall, education centre and children’s centre The latest non-government school to expand its facilities is Ivanhoe Grammar which has just unveiled plans for a four-level subterranean sports precinct with 52m pool with movable pontoon, fitness centre, roof top tennis and netball courts, indoor courts, foyer and cafe.

St Leonard's Year 12 development includes a 600-seat auditorium.

Scotch College

Fees for Year 9 and 12: $35,925

Facilities, features and plans: Scotch College has also recently opened the $32 million Sir Zelman Cowan Centre for Science building which has a rooftop teaching space and central hub.

Gippsland Grammar

Fees for Year 9: $17,160

Fees for Yr 12: $17,000

Facilities, features and plans: Gippsland Grammar is currently fundraising for a multimillion Performing Arts Centre at its Garnsey campus, to be opened for the school’s centenary in 2024.

St Leonard’s College

Fees for Year 9: $31,959

Fees for Yr 12: $33,351

Facilities, features and plans: New 600-seat auditorium to host theatrical and musical performances and a new year 12 learning area including study nooks, a university-style theatre and a room dedicated to exams.

Carey Baptist Grammar Middle School includes 28 learning spaces, wet science labs, and performing arts spaces.

Carey Grammar

Fees for Year 9: $31,976

Fees for Yr 12: $33,052

Facilities, features and plans: Middle school redevelopment with 28 learning spaces, wet science labs, performing arts spaces and a Centre for Learning and Innovation.

Westbourne Grammar

Fees for Year 9: $21,044

Fees for Yr 12: $22,056

Facilities, features and plans: New sports and aquatic centre including a 25m pool, gym and ballet studio.

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar

Fees for Year 9: $19,599

Fees for Yr 12: $20,271

Facilities, features and plans: New gym and basketball stadium.

Fintona Girls’ School

Fees for Year 9: $30,312

Fees for Yr 12: $31,476

Facilities, features and plans: New hall, education centre and children’s centre.

Geelong Grammar

Fees for Year 9 (Timbertop) boarding: nearly $73,000

Fees for Yr 12: day student $42,792

Facilities, features and plans: Specialist, purpose-built facilities for specific year levels and curriculum areas, including modern libraries, music schools, a state-of-the art ‘wellness centre’ and multimedia centres. Stables for students to keep and ride their horses and boarding students are allowed to keep their dogs on campus. The school prides itself on the amount of space it enjoys at its main campus in Corio and Timbertop (Year 9) campus in the bush near Mansfield, which cover a combined area of approximately 550 hectares.

The Timbertop campus has a vineyard and fully functioning farm and Corio an equestrian centre.

Melbourne Grammar School hosts the Nigel Peck Centre for Learning and Leadership.

Melbourne Grammar

Fees for Years 9 and 12: $36,180

Facilities, features and plans: The Nigel Peck Centre for Learning and Leadership and Geoff Handbury Science and Technology Hub. Spaces where students can reflect between lessons and create their own activities. The school prides itself on its historic buildings and has been located at St Kilda Road for more than 150 years.

Xavier College

Fees for Year 9 and 12: Fees could not be found on the elite school’s website, but additional levies listed include for rowing, music, after school care and ancillary charges.

Caulfield Grammar

Fees for Year 9: $32,475

Fees for Yr 12: $33,084

Facilities, features and plans: Caulfield Grammar is fundraising for the new Caulfield Aquatic Centre. Other projects that have been supported by donations through the school’s Foundation Building Fund, include the Cripps Centre at the Caulfield Campus, and Memorial Hall Complex, at the Wheelers Hill Campus.