Girton invests in campus growth with High Street property purchase

In 2024, Girton Grammar School was pleased to announce its acquisition of a prominent property at the corner of Vine and High Streets, paving the way for the development of future facilities that will benefit from prime street frontage on Bendigo’s main thoroughfare.

The site at 133–155 High Street adjoins the existing senior campus and is currently occupied by long-term tenant Red Rooster, which will continue to operate from the property under an existing commercial lease until July 2027, with the option to extend until July 2032.

After this time, the school anticipates that the site will become a pivotal part of its senior campus, providing additional space for Girton to expand across the block bordered by Vine, High, Wattle and Creek Streets.

The property is strategically located next to the school’s existing Christoper J Morey Building and adjacent to the planned exhibition centre, sport courts and gardens, as documented in the school’s Master Plan highlights.

As such, it presents an exciting range of development options that Principal Dr Emma O’Reilly envisages will be fully explored through future updates to the Master Plan.

“We are delighted to have secured this high-profile site, and excited about the enormous potential it offers for our school and the broader community,” Dr O’Rielly said.

“In addition to allowing for the school’s continued growth and development, the property will further strengthen Girton’s physical presence and connections within the local community thanks to its prime location on High Street,” she said.

“One of the key goals outlined in our Master Plan is to create welcoming street interfaces that invite community engagement, and I am confident this property will help us to achieve that.”

The school has made significant headway on several of the developments detailed within its Master Plan, the highlights of which were shared with the community in May.

In the Junior School, construction has commenced on a covered outdoor learning area, which is due to be completed as students return for the 2025 school year. In the Senior School, concept plans for a dedicated languages centre and new green space have now been drafted with the input of students, parents and staff.

The Chair of Girton’s Board, Ms Fleur Jackson, said she is honoured to continue the Board’s legacy of investing in significant initiatives to enhance the school and its surrounds for future generations.

“Across our school’s campuses and within our students’ learning outcomes, we can clearly see the benefits of the investments made by previous generations,” she said.

“Girton’s current Board and Leadership Team are now excited to see the lasting impact this new long-term strategic investment will have on the next generation of learners and our broader community.”

To learn more about the vision for Girton’s junior and senior campuses, see the Master Plan highlights on the school’s website.