Bellarine students now have the facilities they need for a great start in life, with the completion of the state-of-the-art MacKillop Centre at Drysdale’s Saint Ignatius College.

On Friday, Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant attended the official blessing and opening of the $24 million centre, a dedicated space for senior students.

The Victorian Government provided $1 million to the project, as part of the 2019-23 Non-Government Schools Capital Fund. The project was jointly funded by the Catholic Development Fund.

Funding supported the construction of the new MacKillop Centre, which consists of 16 general learning areas, a dedicated maker space, and a 400-seat lecture theatre with associated spaces.

Since 2015, the Victorian Government has invested nearly $1 billion to build, expand and renovate Catholic and independent schools across the state.

The 2023-24 Victorian Budget committed a further $450 million to build and upgrade low-fee Catholic and independent schools across the state.

The Building Fund for Non-Government Schools will allocate funding over one round for Catholic schools and over four grant rounds across four years for independent schools.

Non-government schools are an important part of Victoria's education system, with over one-third of Victorian students studying at Catholic or independent schools.

The Victorian Government is ahead of schedule in opening 100 new schools by 2026, ensuring every student can access a great local school and a quality education no matter where they live.

Overall, the Victorian Government has invested $16.9 billion in public education projects over the past decade, building new schools and upgrading more than 2,000 schools, while supporting more than 26,000 jobs in construction and associated industries.

More than 40,000 students are already attending one of the Victorian Government’s new schools – with Victoria home to more than half of the new government schools built across Australia in the past five years. 

Lines attributable to Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant:

“The Victorian Government is making sure that all Victorian schools have the best facilities. We can’t be the Education State without improving schools across all sectors.”

“Non-government schools are an important part of Bellarine, providing local families with choice when it comes to educating their children.”

“Local families can now enjoy world class learning facilities at Saint Ignatius College.”