Community
20 February, 2025
Keeping Woorndoo history alive
A SMALL committee has opened the doors to a historic Woorndoo property in a bid to ensure the town’s history is not forgotten.
Woorndoo School Committee president Franco Sudiro is among the members dedicating their time to maintain the former Woorndoo State School, which first opened in 1896 as one of Victoria’s oldest state schools but was officially closed in 1989.
The school laid dormant before being revitalised in 2018 when the committee set about transforming the facility in to a history centre.
The goal is quite simple - to ensure a valued piece of the Woorndoo community remains open.
“Our main aim is to preserve the school while we’ve got it” Mr Sudiro said.
“Once it is gone, it’s gone.
“If they take the building away, it’ll be gone forever.
“We’re trying to keep it here, and it’s a big challenge, but hopefully once people get to know that it’s a history centre they will support it.”
The walls are today lined with an expansive history of commercial and private memorabilia, personal items, press clippings, photographs and interesting facts dating back as far as the town itself.
But what is available to view pales in comparison to what can be heard.
The dedicated committee members possess a wealth of knowledge, and are more than happy to switch the kettle on and share their valuable insight in to not only what is on display, but how it came to be on display and even their own unique family connection to a range of the pieces.
The history centre opens each month in the hope donations can help to support the retention of the asset.
The decline of Woorndoo, which was once a thriving township when soldier settlements saw a population boost for the region, is well noted.
In 2022 the Woorndoo Church held its final service before members amalgamated with Mortlake, and shortly afterwards the town’s public hall was also closed.
But through opening the historical centre once a month, members of the Woorndoo School Committee hope to not only share the history of the town - but also prevent yet another asset from closing.
“People can come along and have a look,” Mr Sudiro said.
“It’s just a gold coin donation and we have tea, coffee and afternoon tea.
“They can wander around in the school paddock and see all the trees, which are mainly natives and have a plaque in front of them from people who went to the school, were involved with the school or were involved with the hall over the road - and each of the plaques are in memory of them.”
Mr Sudiro credited the efforts of club secretary and treasurer Carmel O’Brien for her diligent efforts to accumulate so many items of historical significance to Woorndoo which are not on display.
“She started it off,” he said.
“Carmel collected all this staff, some of which was given to her and some she just collected herself, but it’s all on display.
“I first got involved around six or seven years ago, and last year before Christmas I was voted president of the society.
The club opens the historical centre each month, with the next Open Day planned for March 15 from 1.30-4pm at the Woorndoo State School and History Centre on Recreation Street, just off Mortlake-Ararat Road opposite the former public hall.
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