Yass Valley councillor Mike Reid, who resides in Murrumbateman village, has been voicing a need for the school in the area for years.

As residents of Murrumbateman eagerly await the construction of a school in Murrumbateman, an Expression of Interest (EOI) process has begun, to find the best site. The EOI, called by the Department of Education, is in collaboration with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. Yass Valley councillor Mike Reid, who resides in Murrumbateman village, has been voicing a need for the school in the area for years. “Murrumbateman is growing, and people from nearby areas are relocating here to be a part of the rural lifestyle. The need for a school here has been felt for a long time,” Cr Reid said. Yass Valley Council had proposed council-owned land on Merryville Drive for the construction of the school.

However, in 2019, the Department of Education advised that other sites were under consideration despite significant planning work already undertaken at the local level. The Department of Education has rebooted the process, with the EOI calling for an adequately sized and appropriately located site. “The EOI is for landowners to express their interest in providing a suitable parcel of land in Murrumbateman as part of the planning for a new primary school. The proposed site should be a minimum of 1.5 hectares, vacant and relatively level with dual road frontage preferable” a spokesperson from the Department of Education said.

Council is planning to propose a six-hectare land site in Hawthorn for the construction of the school.  “For many years council has strongly supported the community for a school to be established in Murrumbateman,” Yass Valley Council general manager Chris Berry said.  “Advocacy by the council and the community secured an election promise from the state government to fund the planning of a new school. To facilitate the establishment of a new school, the council will be lodging an expression of interest for land it owns in Murrumbateman.” Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the NSW Government is providing significant investment in regional school infrastructure.

“I am proud that we are continuing our record investment in school infrastructure, particularly in regional and rural NSW,” she said.  “A new primary school at Murrumbateman will be a valuable asset for local families and will benefit the local community for generations.” Former Goulburn MP Pru Goward in 2018 announced an allocation of funding to commence planning for a school in Murrumbateman.

The current member for Goulburn, Wendy Tuckerman, said she wanted only the best school for Murrumbateman. “Planning for new schools can take time because it’s extremely important due diligence is undertaken at each step. I am excited we are making progress on planning for a new primary school at Murrumbateman,” Ms Tuckerman said.   Further details on the EOI process and additional site requirements can be found on the eTendering portal, https://tenders.nsw.gov.au. Proposals are to be submitted by 10 am (AEST) on 29 June 2020 via the portal.