Old Kyneton Primary School

Kyneton Primary School in Baynton Street, Kyneton was closed in March 2018.

Later that year, the Victorian Government’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) undertook consultation with the community on what it valued about the site and how it could be redeveloped. The consultation found that the community wanted to site kept for community use, with a gallery space and areas for community use. The 2018 consultation by DELWP found that the community wanted the site kept for community use, with a gallery space and areas for community groups.

In the 2020-21 Victorian Government Budget, $12 million was allocated to deliver a new gallery space within the 1800s heritage bluestone building on site and a range of safety and accessibility improvements.

Following an Expression of Interest process in 2021, the Victorian Government selected Working Heritage as future site operator.

In collaboration with Working Heritage, Development Victoria and Creative Victoria the transformation of the site into a vibrant gallery and community event space is now underway.

Once this initial phase of works is complete, the site will be open to the public to host events, exhibitions, and community markets, contributing to the local economy by encouraging visitors and investment from outside the local area.

The project will unlock an asset currently not available to the community and its visitors. The site will integrate the local character of Kyneton by retaining existing trees and providing new landscaping.

The new gallery space will be available for a range of uses by the region’s broader creative industries and community groups throughout the year ensuring this much loved asset can supporting the ongoing growth of the region’s creative and cultural industries.