Tenders to build $491.6m worth of schools in VIC now out to market

Tenders to build 10 new schools across Victoria have been released to market and the State is a step closer to achieving the State Government’s promise to opening 100 new schools by 2026. 

This milestone also keeps 13 new schools on track to open in 2023 to provide more students and their families access to greater education within their local areas. 

“We are building modern new schools to ensure all Victorian students and their families have access to a great education close to home. 

“We look forward to securing builders for these brand new schools so we can get on with the job of opening 100 new schools by 2026 and giving our students the great education they deserve,” Minister for Education James Merlino said. 

The $491.6 million funding injection from the Victorian Budget 2021/22 will deliver 10 schools – which are currently known by their interim names – including: 

• Camms Road Primary School – Cranbourne West 
• Hayes Hill Primary School – Donnybrook 
• Holyoake Primary School – Manor Lakes 
• Lollypop Creek Primary School – Werribee 
• Merrifield West Secondary School – Mickleham 
• Officer Rix Road Primary School – Officer 
• Riverdale East Primary School – Tarneit 
• Rockbank Murray Road Primary School – Thornhill Park 
• Tarneit Missen House Primary School – Tarneit 
• Woller West Primary School – Wollert 

Also included in the 13 schools for 2023 are: 

• A new campus for North Melbourne Primary School, which has already had a builder appointed, being Hansen Yunken. Construction on the Molesworth Street site is due to start this year 
• Wollert East Secondary School in Wollert, which has already gone to tender and had ADCO appointed the builder 
• Mount Ridley Special School in Craigieburn, which will have a builder appointed later in the year 

Both Camms Road and Wollert primary schools will include early learning centres on site and the two educational facilities have been designed as Supported Inclusion Schools that will provide accessible and inclusive education for all students. 

The schools will be supporting students with disabilities, enabling them to access specialist infrastructure and teaching expertise that ensures all Victorian children could attend a great local school. 

The Victorian Government has invested about $1.6 billion through the 2021/22 Budget to build new schools across the state as well as improve existing schools, ensuring that Victorian children have “the bright futures they deserve”. 

Over the past seven years, the State Government has committed more than $10.9 billion to deliver new educational facilities and upgrade about 1,700 schools. This significant investment is anticipated to also create approximately 13,500 jobs in construction and associated industries. 

The delivery of 100 new schools by 2026 is now ahead of schedule, with about 62 new schools opening its doors between 2019 and 2024. 

Source: Premier of Victoria - Media Centre; Victorian Budget 2021/22; Ros Spence - State Labor Member for Yuroke