Westbourne Grammar reveals plans for Geelong campus

Westbourne Grammar could build a campus on Lovely Banks land to cater for 1500 students from prep to year 12.

Westbourne Grammar School could open a campus at Lovely Banks.

Westbourne Grammar could build a campus on Lovely Banks land to cater for 1500 students from prep to year 12.

The private school purchased land at Lovely Banks 12 years ago, but has not developed or progressed plans for a Geelong campus.

Principal Adrian Camm said the school was now moving forward with the plans and would conduct a feasibility study for the site over the next six to 12 months.

Westbourne Grammar’s 2023 masterplan notes the study will explore a number of options for the site, including selling the land, selling part of the land to help fund a new campus, keeping the whole site to develop a campus and keeping the site for future options.

The plan notes development of the campus could not start until road networks around it have been developed.

“There isn’t a program for when the roads will be developed,” the plans state.

“It’s conjecture, but it seems unlikely the road network will be developed in the next five years.”

Mr Camm said developing a new campus would be “a significant undertaking” and said research and modelling was needed to inform any decisions.

He said the projected growth of the Geelong signalled a need for “many new schools in the area”.

“Places at our Williamstown and Truganina campuses of the school are in very high demand with waiting lists across each year level,” he said.

“Our total student enrolment will exceed 2000 students next year.”

Mr Camm did not say how many students travelled from the Geelong region to Westbourne Grammar campuses, but said many families travelled from Melbourne’s outer west.

“A campus in Geelong would be another desirable option to meet demand,” he said.

Fees at Westbourne Grammar start at $16,760 for prep, with 2023 fees for years 10-12 listed at $23,516 per annum.

Originally published as Westbourne Grammar reveals plans for Geelong campus