School building revamped to celebrate 140 years

CALIFORNIA Gully Primary School’s heritage-listed building is undergoing its first major renovations in about fifty years.

Worth more than $5.5 million, the works are coming in time for a major milestone.

“The focus is on our original main building that was built in 1883, so celebrating 140 years this year,” said principal Andrew Frawley. “We thought we should have a little bit of TLC occurring.

“We received some State funding from the government in 2021, after the process of planning and working through what we can achieve around improving our school.

“Internally, we’ve had an opportunity to modernise and we’re working through to make the spaces more useable and engaging to brighten up some of the spaces, but also have some flexibility in their use as well.”

Mr Frawley said there will also be new additions to both the inside and outside areas as part of the upgrades.

“We got two classroom spaces and also our professional learning and admin spaces are being improved and enhanced and there’ll also be an art room going into that space as well,” he said.

“We’re really excited to have a permanent kitchen space, a part of our kitchen program for our kids.

“To the rear of the school, we’re also getting a community centre built that’s connected to the building but not attached, so still abiding by the heritage expectations.

“Community’s been really important to us, so to actually have a space set up for that use is really special and important for us.

“It’s going to be a multiuse space, so we’re hoping to use it for community events but also external events and encouraging different community groups to utilise this space as well.”

All going to plan, Mr Frawley said the school should be able to move back into the renovated heritage building towards the end of the year, with plans to hold an official opening in early 2024.