Hill End pops champagne
The champagne corks were popped at Hill End last week when the community signed a lease to formalise continued use of the town’s former primary school as a community centre.
The signing by Hill End Community Inc and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning officers ended a 15-month battle to stop the state government selling the property for private development.
The 10-year lease gives HECI management and usage rights of the main school building, the former Fumina primary school building that has been located on the site since 1961 and an adjoining vacant house that was previously a residence for the Hill End school’s teacher.
DELWP has also waived the annual licence fee normally paid by lessees.
An excited and relieved HECI president Chris Williams said costs to HECI would be those it had borne since the school closed and the facility used by the community – maintenance costs and contents and public liability insurance.
Sharing the excitement were a staunch group of the district’s residents that have walked every step of the campaign to stop the property’s sale and for the community to formally take over its management.
Many were busy there last week trimming plants and bushes and washing down buildings ahead of a market held on Sunday, one of four held there each year, and an Australia Day spit roast tea from 6.30 p.m. next Friday for which Willow Grove Lions Club has jumped in to relieve HECI of having to do the cooking.
The community’s determined fight ended successfully last November when the government finally relented and announced it was backing down on sale plans.
But there was still some “Is” to be dotted and “Ts” to be crossed” – transferring ownership from the Education Department to DELWP, deciding on a management arrangement and drawing up a lease – before the facility could be put in community hands. All of that has now been done. HECI’s campaign united locals, drew support from a much wider area as well as from Baw Baw Shire Council and provided a rare demonstration of political bipartisanship.
Eastern Victoria Upper House members Harriet Shing (Labor), Melina Bath (The Nationals) and Jeff Bourman (Shooters and Fishers) and Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood (Liberal) all gave their backing to the community’s fight.
It came as a shock to the Hill End community when it heard of a proposal to rezone the land to enable it to be sold privately.
Since the school closed it had been the focal point for the community, regularly used for meetings, markets, functions and get-togethers, an annual art show, alpaca show, a quilt display and special luncheons.
Hill End people were not going to give up all that lightly.