One of Ballarat's oldest school buildings is undergoing a renovation to bring it into the 21st century and ready to welcome a new generation of students.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The original Alfredton State School building, known widely as 'the old school house' has stood on Gillies Street opposite Victoria Park since 1879.
Australian Catholic University now owns the site, which is part of its Camillus Residence facility, and is renovating the old school building to become a recreation space for student residents and a location for events and gatherings for the wider ACU community.
The $995,000 renovation project will see the school building house a large kitchen, dining space, small library, high-tech media room with seating, and a games area including a pool table and darts.
Works to be completed include roofing and window replacement, improved accessible access and supporting amenities.
This week tradespeople were working on the building's roof.
Ballarat Campus Dean Professor Bridget Aitchison said the works were being carried out mindful of the beauty and heritage of the historic brick building.
"We want to ensure Ballarat students have access to accommodation that supports their studies as well as these state-of-the-art recreational opportunities to give them a place to relax, have fun and connect with one another," she said.
"We are also very conscious of the heritage and beauty of our Ballarat properties, and this is reflected in the design and care we show when doing any improvement works."
The building renovation follows a $4.6 million upgrade of the 16 student accommodation houses on the Camillus property, and works on the native gardens surrounding the houses on site. Students at Camillus live in fully-furnished four to seven bedroom houses.
ACU's national manager of student accommodation Simone Gallo said turning the previously unused building in to a recreation area for student residents would be a huge bonus for those living on site.
"This project will bring a currently unused area back to life as the recreation space for ACU residential students as well as for events and gatherings for the whole ACU community," Ms Gallo said.
IN OTHER NEWS
Works on the old school building are expected to be finished by the end of the year with new residents able to take advantage of the upgraded facilities when they move in next year.
Alfredton State School celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1971, having spent its first eight years in a nearby building before the historic brick schoolhouse was built. It education up to 150 children at a time, mainly servicing the rural area on the western fringe of Ballarat and catering for the children of miners from the nearby Sir Charles Napier Mine.
The school moved to its current site in Cuthberts Road as Alfredton Primary School in the mid 1980s, celebrating its official opening on June 11, 1987 and now has more than 500 students.
Applications are now open for students studying at ACU to live at the Camillus Residence in 2023.
Have you tried The Courier's app? It can be downloaded here.
