State School 4417 opened in temporary accommodation in 1928, moving to a new building on the corner of Lincoln and Manchester Roads in 1935. Enrolments reached 820 in 1969. However, declining enrolments (down to 73) led to the school’s closure at the end of 2004. The buildings were soon demolished and the site left fallow for several years. The site was sold to the Three Pillars group in 2012 for $4.6m, and the Central Avenue housing estate resulted.
Then
Now
Furthermore
The Central Avenue project has proved a tidy little earner, with 77 townhouses built along quaintly named roads (e.g. Primary Street). Unfortunately, a 1980s time capsule could not be found by the time construction began – a lesson for all schools.
Links
No evidence of former students connecting online (e.g. Facebook). Maybe Stories of Mooroolbark might offer an alternative pathway, or historical stalwarts such as Museums Victoria.