SPECIAL needs students are being shuttled between two campuses due to stalled redevelopment works at Banmira Specialist School. State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has urged the Minister for Education to commit funding in the 2026–27 State Budget to complete the project, warning the current two-site setup is disrupting learning and placing unnecessary pressure on students and staff.
Speaking in Parliament this week, Ms Lovell said the school community has been left in limbo, with more than half the classrooms at the former Wanganui Park Secondary College still boarded up despite a $23M investment in the 2022–23 budget to convert the site into Banmira’s new home.
That funding covered only Stage 1 of a multi-stage development, and no additional money has been provided since, leaving the project only half finished.
While early years and primary students moved into the new campus at the start of this year, senior students remain at the old Verney Road site because the redevelopment of the new facilities has not been completed. As a result, teachers and students are required to move between the two campuses, eating into valuable instructional time and adding to daily stress.
Ms Lovell said the situation is particularly destabilising for special needs students. Some primary-aged children who shifted into the new campus earlier this year face the prospect of being moved back to the Verney Road site when they enter senior grades, creating further disruption for students who rely on routine and predictability.
“The failure of the Allan Labor Government to fully fund the redevelopment of Banmira Specialist School means the school is forced to operate across two sites, which is inefficient and costly,” Ms Lovell said.
Budget deliberations for 2026-27 are currently underway, and Ms Lovell is calling on the Minister for Education to ensure full funding is allocated so the project can finally be completed.
“The Minister for Education must ensure that full funding is provided in the 2026–27 state budget for the completion of the buildings and facilities at Banmira Specialist School,” she said.
