By Max Davies
The site of the former Colmont School at Kilmore has been listed for sale with the intention to establish a new school that will use the pre-existing facilities.
Listed through Savills Melbourne, the land at 32-42 White Street is for sale by expression of interest as part of a four-week campaign that will end on July 26.
The real estate agent has reported there has already been multiple private schools interested since the campaign began last week.
Colmont School went into administration in July last year, leaving a large trail of money owed to staff, parents and local companies, and forcing families to find immediate enrolment for their children.
Since the school closed, the grounds and facilities of the former Kilmore International School have remained as they were – albeit noticeably overgrown.
Savills agent Tanya Su said the company was approached to list the land for sale by the property’s current owners – a Chinese company that bought Ray Wittmer’s stake in the school in May 2019.
“The land with the current facilities helps because of how construction costs have increased in the past few years,” she said.
“The existing facilities are definitely value added to the land and the former local school is quite famous. It’s a really good contribution to the local area that brings people here so we would like to see another school running.”
The former Colmont School’s five-hectare premises feature multiple classrooms including fully-fitted science labs, music, drama and art buildings, as well as a library, commercial kitchen and dining room.
Also on site is a standalone primary school building and a year 11-12 International Baccalaureate centre that was completed in 2011, along with two sporting fields, two tennis courts, a multipurpose basketball court and an area earmarked for an indoor stadium.
Savills is promoting ownership of the property as ‘a rare chance to revive the former school in a strong regional township benefitting from Melbourne’s expanding northern growth corridor’.
“Ideally we want to just keep the value of the buildings and the land,” Ms Su said.
“We’re definitely looking for another school to purchase the land, but we’re in the early stage of our campaign so we will see how it goes.”
Another option touted is that the State Government buy the school site to establish a public secondary school for Kilmore.
Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said any option that would get the community closer to a public secondary school in Kilmore should be explored.
“Kilmore has seen significant growth over the past decade – something which will only accelerate in the years to come. We need to ensure this growth is supported with education options for locals,” she said.
“Nearby schools are bursting at the seams and the only other local option is Assumption College. While Assumption is a fantastic school there is no way every family can afford to send their kids there.
“The region needs another public option, and it needs to be located in Kilmore.”
For more information on the sale, visit .
