Kandanga Creek State School now modern acreage with stables, tennis court

Sixteen years after a dilapidated Mary Valley school was closed down in a storm of controversy, it has been reborn as a modern acreage for off-grid living, complete with horse-riding tracks and a cricket pitch.

A somewhat dilapidated Kandanga Creek State School has been transformed into a modern self-sustaining acreage, complete with stables, a tennis court, and a lot of room for lounging. Pictures: Joe Williams (L) and REMAX Property Group (R).

Nestled in the Mary Valley, a couple has breathed new life into the former Kandanga Creek State School, now an impressive 2ha (5-acre) off-grid estate listed for $1,750,000.

Located at 249 Sterling Road, Kandanga Creek, owners Joe Williams and Daniel Walters have revitalised the property they have called “a piece of local history”, after buying the land in 2022 for $975,000.

The acreage is still listed with REMAX real estate agent Darren Newton, who has seen its transformation from a primary school since selling the property to its current owners three years ago.

The owners said when they purchased the primary school property in 2022, it had been sitting dormant since it closed in late 2009. Pictures: Joe Williams.

When purchased, the site was largely unchanged since the school’s closure in late 2009.

“It was in no way in its best shape,” Mrs Williams said.

“But, we saw the potential for different opportunities for living arrangements, and for the business opportunities that the property could offer.”

Mrs Williams and Mr Walters purchased the old primary school complete with playgrounds, ovals, courts and a tuckshop, as well as a principal’s house.

The extensive refurbishments both inside and out were a big task, Mrs Williams said. Pictures: Joe Williams.

Today, the property features three separate living spaces, eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, an off-grid electricity system, on-site water storage and more than 100 fruit trees.

“We really made sure to be mindful of the connection this property has to the past, and to work within the architecture and structure of the buildings while altering the feel of the property to one in which we, and future owners can enjoy,” Mrs Williams said.

The new property is complete with horse-riding tracks, a stable, and even a cricket pitch. Picture: REMAX Property Group.

Next to the property’s main four-bedroom house is an expansive covered entertainment area, complete with a kitchen and laundry.

The old principal’s house has also been polished up to provide a more modern three bedroom accommodation, a REMAX Property Group spokesperson said.

Renovations are now complete with a restored tennis court, horse-riding tracks and stables, a cricket pitch and a large workshop.

“It really is a piece of history that is closely connected to the community here and we’re not sure what would have come of the property had we not been able to restore it,” Mr Walters said.

Joe Williams and Daniel Walters after purchasing their property in 2022, before renovations began. Picture: Joe Williams.

“We’ve loved transforming this property (in) that it encompasses its history while remaining a space to enjoy a complete lifestyle, and while we’ve made some significant changes, the transformation still leaves the property open for its new owners to make it their own,” Mrs Williams said.

“The possibilities with this property are endless.”

Originally published as Kandanga Creek State School now modern acreage with stables, tennis court