Mali Bu Djanip opens at Special Developmental School

MEMBER for Bendigo West Maree Edwards and her Bendigo East counterpart Premier Jacinta Allan were welcomed with enthusiasm by staff, students and parents to the Bendigo Special Developmental School in Kangaroo Flat last Friday as they visited to open its new learning space, Mali Bu Djanip.

Backed by an $8.8 million investment from the State Government, Mali Bu Djanip, which means Mallee and Myall Country in the Dja Dja Wurrung language, was completed ahead of schedule and includes a range of practical and accessible features.

These include classrooms with movable walls to create break-out learning spaces and storage for equipment such as wheelchairs and walking frames.

Its design gives students spaces to learn and grow both indoors and out, with a new in-ground trampoline, a wheelchair-accessible carousel, balance logs and a water play station.

The new purpose-built facility was inspired by the landscapes of Dja Dja Wurrung Country, designed by ePlus Architecture and built by Nicholson Construction.

During their visit, Ms Edwards and Ms Allan toured the space and engaged with teachers and some clearly inquisitive students, even jumping on the wheelchair-accessible carousel for a brief ride, before a ribbon-cutting.

Ms Allan said the new addition will help students engage with school so they can thrive in and out of the classroom.

Ms Edwards added it will “ensure that students at SDS, along with their outstanding teachers, aides and carers, have the very best in modern and, importantly, inclusive learning spaces.”

“A big thank you to the Principal Kirshy McAinch and the School Council parents for their ongoing advocacy to secure this brilliant upgrade,” she said.

The project at Bendigo Special Developmental School is part of an initiative by the State Government to upgrade 36 special schools across Victoria over four years.