Funding confirmed to build Charlemont school

THE new primary school slated for Charlemont has been locked in, with the state government confirming funding for its construction as well as another primary school in the Armstrong Creek Growth area.

Horseshoe Bend Primary School (the school’s interim name) will be built on a block in Amber Avenue, with the state government’s 2022-23 state budget providing $236.7 million to acquire land for it and 14 other future schools.

This week’s 2024-25 state budget allocated $947.7 million for the construction of 16 new schools.

Horseshoe Bend Primary School is expected to be finished in the first three months of 2026 and admit the first of its 525 students in the following three months, and Warralily Park Primary School (also an interim name) will open on a yet-to-be-finalised location in the same year with space for 625 students.

Minister for regional development and member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney visited the block earmarked for Horseshoe Bend Primary School on Tuesday this week.

She said the allocation of funding in the 2024-25 budget fulfilled her government’s commitment to open 100 new schools across Victoria between 2019 and 2026.

“It’s great that two of that figure will now be completed here in 2026.

“This is about backing in Geelong families; it’s having services and facilities for growing communities here in Geelong.”

She said the Armstrong Creek area was particularly fast-growing in terms of Geelong, but the Greater Geelong region was also among the top dozen growing populations across Australia.

“We need to have facilities here for growing families so kids can go to their local school not far from their homes and enjoy the best possible modern facilities that are on offer, coupled with being able to play sport locally, and of course, for parents and other members of the family, to be able to be employed locally.

“People are starting to get it; that it’s a great thing to live in regional Victoria.”

The state government will consult further about the final names for both new schools.

“We’re very happy to work shoulder to shoulder with the community in coming up with the exact names that will be finally used, and also, in terms of Warralily Park, talking to the community about the location and the various other stakeholders in making sure we come up with the best possible site,” Ms Tierney said.