Then and now: The former Dunlop / Barkly St Campus of Benalla P-12 College is in terrible condition and members of the community are keen to ensure it is saved from demolition. Photo: Simon Ruppert.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
When The Ensign published a series of photographs of damage to the former Barkly/Dunlop campus of Benalla P-12, many in the community were outraged.
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The school has been on that site, in one form or another, since 1914.
It was the school that Benalla war heroes Edward Weary Dunlop and Hec Waller attended.
Not to mention literally thousands of local people.
Art Deco: The new facade was designed by PWD architect Percy Everett in the mid 1930s and was opened in 1937.
Historical significance: The Governor of Victoria, the Earl of Stradbroke, speaking to students in the quadrangle in 1921. Photo: Howship Collection
There were moves by the Education Department to close the campus in the late 1990s which the community overwhelmingly rejected.
A series of protests saw the idea abandoned, temporarily at least.
Once the school was amalgamated with others and renamed Benalla P-12, parents and teachers were assured the campus could be retained.
However by November 2018 the campus was abandoned.
At the time State Member for Euroa Steph Ryan argued that community consultation should be undertaken to decide what was to happen with the site.
“The Barkly St campus is a large space and it’s located in a prime area of Benalla,” Ms Ryan said in 2018.
Historic: The original Benalla High School building on Barkly St.
“I know a number of people and groups within the wider Benalla community have ideas and I think it is important that the community gets to have a say.
“There are a number of perfectly good buildings on the site and we should be deciding as a community how they can be used for the good of our town.”
Adapted: Believe it or not this is also the original Benalla High School building, after a second floor and new facade was added in 1937.
No such consultation has taken place since and the buildings have been left to rot.
Benalla Family Research Group president Bill Willett told The Ensign he was shocked the main building on the site does not have a heritage listing.
And he is keen to form a committee to work towards getting it a heritage listing, ensuring it is not simply demolished.
“I think it’s absolutely disgusting what has happened to that site,’’ Mr Willett said.
“It’s absolute pure neglect and I don’t know by whom.
“Benalla Rural City Council told me it is nothing to do with it, it’s the State Education Department who are in charge of the site.
"But I think council, at the least, could be advocating for the building to be repurposed for the community.’’
Mr Willett said the history and significance of the old school was plain to see.
"A heap of decorated war heroes went there, you just have to look at the honour roll.
“I’ll be honest, I really don’t care if it gets a heritage listing or not, so long as it is protected.
“But I do believe getting a heritage listing is the only way to ensure it is.
“And there are so many wonderful things it could be used for.
“I think it would be a fantastic community hub. There are about two acres at the back that could be a community garden.
“But I think the main thing that I am interested in is a place where we could highlight Benalla’s history.”
Mr Willett said the Family Research Group would soon be moving out of the church hall on Benalla St, and one or two of the rooms at the old school would be perfect for them.
“And not just us. If we had a couple of the rooms, perhaps the Historical Society could use another. Maybe a community group or two, like the local performing arts groups, or any other community group that needed a space.”
Mr Willett said the committee was just an idea at the moment but he was keen to see if anyone was interested.
If you would like to be a part of the committee you can contact Mr Willett on 0429 947 969 or via email at zadot3@gmail.com
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