The Old Kyneton Primary School is set to be transformed into a creative precinct made up of eight zones, including a heritage forecourt, a town square, a market square, First Nations gardens and a reimagined play space.
Local MP Mary-Anne Thomas launched a masterplan for the precinct last Friday and confirmed both the bluestone building and the other school buildings on the site would be retained.
Development of the masterplan – led by future site operator Working Heritage and local architect Winwood McKenzie – is now under way, with community members invited to contribute their views on the future hub.
Ms Thomas said it was exciting to see the site take its next steps towards becoming a thriving creative hub.
“We encourage everyone to have their say to shape the future of the site,” she said.
“Our government has committed $12M to the redevelopment of the site, with the promise that this beautiful bluestone building will become yet another jewel in the crown of central Victoria’s creative heart.”
Ms Thomas said the government’s vision was to create a public space in Kyneton that would complement the world-class galleries of the region in Castlemaine, Bendigo and Ballarat.
“We are home to so many artists and creatives and they contribute so much to our community, this is a way to give back and ensure that we can share their talent for the rest of the community to appreciate,” she said.
“This will become a destination.
“The Old Kyneton Primary School will be both a place that is very welcoming to all of the locals, but will also draw visitors to experience all that our fabulous town has to offer.”
Working Heritage committee of management chair, Kerry Anderson, also attended the launch and said she looked forward to hearing from prospective tenants and users of the site as it forged a new future.
“Registrations of interest, for what potential tenants would be interested in the spaces being, is really important to help us fit out the site to meet the needs that are being expressed to us,” Ms Anderson said.
“Next year, 2023, the formal process of tenants lodging their interest will be put in place, with the view that by 2024 we will start that transition.
“In the meantime, Working Heritage is looking at activating small little pockets, events and things happening on site, so it’s not totally being unused.”
Ms Anderson encouraged anyone interested in utilising the site – whether they be micro-businesses, makers, artists or community groups – to register their interest via Working Heritage’s website.
“We have lots of different buildings and we have outdoor spaces as well,” she said.
Based in Kyneton and Melbourne, Winwood McKenzie specialise in heritage, residential and commercial renovations. Their current projects include the redevelopment of the Northcote Theatre.
Architects Fieldwork – whose previous projects include the Collingwood Yards redevelopment – have also been appointed to undertake design work focused on restoring the building for use by local creatives and the broader community.
Overseen by Development Victoria through Creative Victoria, this design component of the
project has already commenced, with work under way to better understand the site’s current condition.
To view and respond to the masterplan head to engage.vic.gov.au/old-kyneton-primary-school-redevelopment.
Working Heritage also invites prospective tenants or anyone in the community who may be interested in using the space in future to register their interest at workingheritage.com.au
