Heidelberg High School opened on Banksia Street near Oriel Road in 1955. In 1989 declining enrolments led to a merger with Heidelberg Technical School to form Banksia Secondary College. Separate campuses were maintained until 1991 when the former Technical School campus was closed. In 2008 Banksia Secondary merged with La Trobe Secondary to form the short-lived Banksia La Trobe Secondary College. In late 2010 this new entity was ‘merged’ with Haig Street Primary, Olympic Village Primary and Bellfield Primary to form the multi-campus Charles La Trobe P-12 College. The Banksia Secondary campus was closed the following year and the land was subdivided: part was acquired by Waratah Special Development School and the remainder was prepared for sale. This occurred in 2013, when the Victorian Government bundled the site with Haig Street Primary and Bellfield Primary for sale to Banyule Council for $23m. The former Banksia Secondary site is currently public open space.
Then
Now
Furthermore
The former Haig Street Primary and Bellfield Primary sites are now chock-a-block with townhouses. While the former Heidelberg High site is still open space (mid 2020), this may be about to change. The Bellfield Community Hub and Residential Development is well advanced, with Banyule City Council proposing to sell the land for a multi-faceted development.
Links
Heidelberg High School. Australia. – private Facebook group
Banksia La Trobe Secondary College – Facebook. A visual history of the demolition of the school buildings in 2014.
Banksia La Trobe Secondary College is almost gone. Recollections of former students, some very grim.