By Alex Crowe and Peter Ryan
Mount Scopus Memorial College has unveiled its plan for a new super-campus at Caulfield Racecourse, combining the private Jewish school’s three separate facilities at one location in Melbourne’s south-east.
The early learning to year 12 campus will include a sports precinct among its state-of-the-art facilities open to the public, and could include shared facilities with Melbourne Football Club, which plans to build a home base at the site.
Mount Scopus hopes to enrol the first students at its new campus in 2030.
There are currently 1210 students enrolled at Mount Scopus’ three campuses – in Burwood, Caulfield South and St Kilda East. Annual fees are more than $42,000 for senior levels.
Scopus Foundation president David Gold said establishing a campus closer to the Jewish community would result in a drop in fees, as families would no longer pay $3000 annually to bus students to its main campus in Burwood.
“If we can bring the school closer to the community, we don’t need that bus network, which is obviously better for everyone,” he said.
Nearby residents and the broader Jewish community will have access to the adult education facilities, creative arts centre and synagogue on the new campus, in addition to the new sports precinct.
David Gold at Caulfield Racecourse this week.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
The $195 million purchase from Melbourne Racing Club ends a search of more than 10 years for a new site for the school and clears the racing club of its $165 million debt.
Gold said Mount Scopus contacted Melbourne Football Club for the first time on Tuesday, as confidentiality obligations had prevented the school from speaking before the sale was made public.
“We’re happy to talk to all stakeholders in the area about how we can work together and what facilities we can jointly build,” he said. “We’re not ruling out anything at this stage.”
Melbourne Football Club is working with Development Victoria to develop a business case, and the state government is yet to receive any funding proposal to consider in relation to the project. The club is estimated to require $70 million funding from outside its coffers to fulfil its plans, which include two new ovals.
The $195 million purchase follows a more than 10-year hunt for a new site.
The Demons made it clear through the feasibility process that the club would need access to the ovals for only 17 hours a week, and the remainder of the time they would be available for the community. The club would also be responsible for oval maintenance.
Scopus plans to build its own oval on the 7.5-hectare site, which is on the western perimeter of the racecourse and does not include the infield.
Melbourne Football Club chief executive Gary Pert said Scopus’ news was a positive step for the club’s hopes of realising its vision in Caulfield.
“We welcome the announcement that Mount Scopus Memorial College intend to be our neighbour, building a new campus adjacent to Caulfield Racecourse,” Pert said in a statement.
“It’s important to clarify that the club and Mount Scopus sites are separate parcels of land that may result in us being neighbours in the future.
“The Melbourne Football Club are currently preparing a business plan that is based on our facility and our two training ovals all being built on the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust land.
“We see incredible potential in working alongside the community and community-based organisations, including Mount Scopus, to create meaningful synergies and mutual benefits for both communities and to enhance the Glen Eira area.”
Pert is leaving the club at the end of the year but will continue to consult on the Caulfield project.
The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust said the Mount Scopus and Demons developments could coexist.
“There is an ongoing focus to improve access and to find feasible ways to improve access to the precinct, whether that includes entries and gates or whether that includes tunnels ... all the current and future access challenges are solvable with appropriate funding, planning and co-operation of all parties.”
Scopus’ transition to the new campus will take place in stages. The school is aiming for the first enrolments in 2030.
The school had previously canvassed a land-swap deal with the state government to relocate to the Caulfield Hospital site.
An artist’s impression of the proposed new Scopus campus.
Gold said the racecourse was a commercial deal and not Crown land, which provided a much clearer timeframe.
“Burwood is becoming more and more remote from where the heart of the Jewish community is, and demographic trends don’t point to that situation improving any time soon.”
The new location is expected to increase enrolments and drive down costs, Gold said. He said the costs associated with teaching Jewish subjects and providing security made the fees unattainable to some families in the community.
“It’s about making Jewish education more accessible to more students, and to do that, we need to significantly bring down school fees.”
Nearby residents and the broader Jewish community will have access to the adult education facilities, creative arts centre and synagogue.
Mount Scopus president Amy Hershan said it was an exciting chapter for the school, which was celebrating 75 years.
“We have an opportunity to create something special for Melbourne’s Jewish community and ensure its continuity and strength long into the future.”
Glen Eira Mayor Simone Zmood welcomed the move by Mount Scopus Memorial College.
“We welcome the growth in Glen Eira’s education sector, and we know many local families will also welcome this news,” Zmood said.
“We’re ready to work with the Victorian government, Mount Scopus Memorial College and Melbourne Racing Club toward a positive outcome for the community.
“At this stage, we are still working to understand the impacts of the announcements. Our focus is on understanding what the plans will mean for Glen Eira in the long term.
“We feel strongly that broader community interests must be balanced, and we are eager to understand how the plans will safeguard neighbourhood character and community access to the racecourse reserve.”
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