Member for Narracan, Gary Blackwood, has called on the Minister for Education to intervene in the sale of the former Hill End Primary School site to ensure it remained available for community use.

Speaking in State Parliament Mr Blackwood said that HECI (Hill End Community Inc.) were already maintaining the site without any support from State or Local Government and that their success in doing so demonstrated just how valuable the site was to the local community.

‘HECI have been a very proactive, self-sufficient group, relying on their own initiative and resources to not only maintain this site on behalf of the department but also strengthening the very fabric of the community,’ said Mr Blackwood.

‘The school building has become the community hub due to the hard work and commitment of the HECI committee, and it hosts regular community events that are well supported by the local and broader community.

‘Australia Day and Anzac Day services are held annually at the school, along with a quarterly market. Every Queen's Birthday weekend the Tanjil Valley Art Show is held. It is very well supported by local exhibitors and large numbers of visitors from right across Gippsland.

‘The site is very clearly of current and continued significant value to the community of Hill End.

Mr Blackwood said that there had been a distinct lack of consultation by the Andrews Labor Government with the community and HECI around the sale of the site and that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning who were responsible for the site also supported it remaining in community hands.