One door closes, another opens

By Tina Seirlis

A local school’s recent end of an era celebration provided past and current students, young and old, the opportunity to get together and reminisce.

Dating back to 1868, St Brendan’s Primary School in Dunnstown will sadly close its doors this December due to low enrolment.

Bygone student and proud local, Leo Murphy, is the oldest former pupil still living in Dunnstown, and was one of many attendees who turned out to reflect on the important role the school has played within the community.

Mr Murphy, a Dunnstown farmer, father of eight, and former President of the Shire of Buninyong, first attended St Brendan’s 86-years ago when he started school aged six, back in 1937. His time at the school continued all the way through to 1943 where he attained his merit certificate, saying he didn’t mind going to school at all, and was able to “cope fairly well with it.”

Mr Murphy was accompanied to the celebration with his brother Ray, and sisters Nelly and Barbara.

“There are another five students from my generation who are still living, but didn’t attend,” he said.

“The closure of the school has really been there for a fair while, due to the restrictions on development, following the proclaimed water catchment which has happened since the building of Lal Lal Reservoir,” he told the Moorabool News.

“There are other planning restrictions too of course, but one of the major ones is being within a water catchment. You can’t subdivide your farm to make a home for one of your children who works on the farm, and they have to find another home. When there are no young families, this has resulted in low enrolment and then you can’t justify the school,” he said.

Attending the celebration also provided Mr Murphy the opportunity to catch up with the overall oldest former student, Sheila White from nearby Millbrook, who recently turned 100.

“Sheila was in Grade 8 when I first started,” he said.

“I didn’t get to know her at school, but I’ve known her since.”

Mr Murphy says he has lived in Dunnstown for his entire life to date, and left school at 14 to help on the family farm, mainly growing potatoes.

“I still enjoy helping out, when and if required. I have always enjoyed living in Dunnstown. It has been a wonderful community and I have no desire to live anywhere else,” he concluded.

After the celebration, a big announcement was made by the Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Ltd (DOBCEL), saying Ballarat’s Damascus College will utilise the St Brendan’s site in 2024.

“It is positive to see the site still utilised for some form of education and useful purpose,” Mr Murphy said.