IT’S been six years since the doors of old McBride Campus of the Wonthaggi Secondary College closed for the last time.

And frankly, according to members of the Wonthaggi Old Tech Creative Hub Group (WOTCH), it’s simply taking too long for a start to be made on repurposing the centrally-located, 1.8 hectare site.

So, on Saturday, November 15, WOTCH will be taking matters into their own hands.

And they’ve called on the representatives of other community groups and interested individuals to come and join them at a ‘Picnic In The Park’ in Wishart Reserve from 4pm-6pm – all welcome.

“We’ve got an interest in transforming it into a creative community hub which could include artist studios, sound and media lab, spaces for learning and sharing, café, bar, marketplace, creative businesses and the like but it’s such a great location, big and central, that it could accommodate a multitude of uses,” said WOTCH spokesperson Jeni Jobe.

“The possibilities are endless.

“I’ve also got a keen interest in the Housing Matters Bass Coast group, advocating for more affordable housing in our area and some innovative ways to grow social housing in Bass Coast, and that could be a part of it too.

“But there’s just so much opportunity there, the only problem being that the longer we delay, the less useful the existing buildings will be and the less likely something will happen in the short term.”

Ms Jobe said any repurposing of the site would be a staged affair, possibly with some interim uses to begin with to keep the site active and maintained, with more permanent development of the site to follow.

“The big challenge is to get something happening sooner rather than later because if nothing’s done son, it’s going to decay quickly.

“It would be terribly sad if we looked again at this site in 10 years and nothing had been done. We need to inject a sense of immediacy into this project, to make something happen so that the infrastructure and sense of goodwill that exists within the community isn’t lost.

“If something starts to happen, people will have more hope about what’s possible there.

“There’s a lot of old buildings that will have problems with asbestos, the plumbing, electricals whatever, but there are also buildings built after 1985 that won’t have those sorts of problems.

“If we could establish some sort of hub there first, a way to get some activity on the site, it would help preserve the best elements for future use.

“But we’ve got to get on with it,” she said.

Despite not having ownership or even control of the site to date, the Bass Coast Shire Council committed $350,000 in its 2025-26 budget to do its due diligence and develop a feasibility study to put to the state government.

The shire will update its progress on its Engage Bass Coast website.

Here’s the latest from the Bass Coast Shire Council on its plans to redevelop the old senior secondary college site at the top of McBride Avenue:

The Department of Education currently manages the former site of Wonthaggi Secondary College, located on the corner of McBride Ave and Watt St, Wonthaggi.

Bass Coast Shire Council has commenced detailed pre-feasibility studies, which include exhaustive examinations of the property’s condition, including building and structural integrity, heritage and safety. This will identify short-, medium- and long-term costs plus risks associated with taking on the site, to ensure a full understanding of the costs involved in managing the site.

In the 2025-26 Budget, we’ve allocated $350,000 to begin what will be a multi-year project. This funding will allow us to unpack some of the complex the planning constraints, establish the necessary frameworks to guide negotiations with potential partners and stakeholders, determine land use options, and further discussions with the State Government before Council can consider the site.

We are also actively investigating opportunities for external grant funding, which would strengthen this work and enable consultation with the community.

Council has a responsibility to undertake due diligence and ensure any future use of the site is viable and does not create an ongoing burden for ratepayers.

So, come along for a ‘Picnic In The Park’ at Wishart Reserve Wonthaggi on Saturday, November 15 from 4pm-6pm, BYO food, drinks and a rug (musical instrument optional). Go to the Facebook page for WOTCHG or their website at wonthaggioldtech.org