Blue Gum Community School is open!
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The vision.
Blue Gum Community School purchased 1 Rosemead Road in 2019. The purchase reflected the school's intention to re-imagine the stunning heritage listed home and gardens of Mount Errington as a small preschool and primary school for the children of the Hornsby community. Situated on over 3600sqm, on a site surrounded by stunning trees and established gardens, Blue Gum immediately recognised Mount Errington as an ideal place for children to play and learn together.
“We want to breathe new life into this beautiful home, opening it up to the wider community, in a respectful sensitive manner."
Maureen Hartung, Executive Director, Blue Gum Community School
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The history.
Mount Errington, built in 1897 for the Roberts family, is the chosen site for the proposed school. The home and gardens at 1 Rosemead Road are steeped in significance as one of the original homes of Hornsby. The original features of the home, largely intact from its original build, were a major drawcard influencing the school’s decision to purchase the property. We love the history of the house, gardens and surrounding area. The house in its current design is an ideal layout for a school. What a joy it will be for the gates to be opened, not to another private resident, but to the community and children of the Hornsby Shire. Blue Gum also chooses to respectfully acknowledge the First Nation's Peoples - past, present, and emerging - as the traditional custodians of the land on which Mount Errington was built. May we care for the land, and for the people who meet in this place, in a manner that gives honour to our nation's first peoples.
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The approval.
On 9 March 2021 the IPC granted development consent to Blue Gum Community School to proceed with the proposal to establush a small, not-for-profit school in Hornsby, providing education for childen in Preschool (32 places for 3-5 year olds) and Primary School (Kindergaten, Year 1 and Year 2).
Contrary to misinformation that has been shared by those in objection to the project, Hornsby Shire Council is in support of the adaptive re-use of Mount Errington.
A Construction Certificate was issued for the project on 28 July 2021. This marks a significant milestone for the project, enabling the building works to begin at Mount Errington in the coming weeks, as we work towards a January 2022 opening, for the Preschool and K-2 Primary School. To access further information related to the project, please see the information and links below or contact the school directly using this link.
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NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment's Major Project Page
Go here for: approved plans (stamped) and all assessments, resources, reports and submissions submitted as part of the SSD application, EIS and Return to Submissions phases of the DA.
If you have any questions about the DA process, documentation please contact DPIE representative, John Doubleday at john.doubleday@planning.nsw.gov.au.
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Independent Planning Commission NSW Project Page
Go here for: referral from DPIE to IPC; minutes from meetings between IPC and DPIE, IPC and Hornsby Shire Council, and IPC and the Applicant; minutes of the Public Meeting; the IPC site inspection notes; details of the determination; and the conditions of consent.
Construction began on site in August 2021 and was completed in mid January. Our first day of operation was 31 January 2022.
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We're open!
Interested in how things will be managed going forwards? Here are some strategies that guide us: Operational Management Plan; Community Communication Strategy, Operational Noise Monitoring & Compliance Report; Operational Transport & Access Management Plan; Operational Landscape Management Plan; Heritage Interpretation Plan; and Green Travel Plan.
To speak to a representative from the school about any of the above please send a message via the online contact form.
Heritage Restoration
Celebrating the history + protecting the future
Mount Errington Hornsby NSW
Drawing Room Fireplace - Also known as 'Stormtrooper to Darth Vadar' fireplace... can you see why? ;) Chimney sweep, John Herlihy, kindly removed the debris and dead possums from the chimney before this restoration was complete. As none of the fireplaces are operational, each chimney has now been capped with slate, to avoid finding more possums, kookaburras and other creatures getting trapped within the long chimneys.
Eastern Boundary Fence - A fence that was in much need of replacement! Other fences are now under construction. You may be interested to know, in response to community feedback, all boundary fences are timber and the front fence will be a timber picket style at a similar height to the current very dilapidated front fence. We promise we will remove this eye-sore as soon as possible!
Dining Room Fireplace - Broken tiles and a missing flower feature tile left this fireplace looking a little sad. Robin Jackson came to its rescue. When he pulled out the firebox to clean the base we were delighted to discover the spare tiles for this firepace, and another room's fireplace, had been tucked in behind for safekeeping! As a result, the sixth flower feature tile has now been returned to the design and a symetrical layout was restored.
Lime & Mortar Plaster Repairs - Due to water damage a number of plaster walls needed repairs. These photos show the lime and mortar process taken to restore the finish. If you need a heritage plasterer we know the person you should call. Dave Harvey's care and expertise repairing our lime and mortar ceilings and walls, was second to none. Get in contact if you would like his details!
Verandah Ceilings/ Timber Soffit Boards - Years of water damage had left these timber soffit boards in a terrible state. They have now been replaced (though not yet painted!) to match the original dimensions and layout exactly.
Small Pressed Metal Ceiling Restoration - This has been one of the most satisfying restoration works so far. The ceiling was in a very bad way due to continual water damage over years. Once we resolved the roof repairs to stop the water ingress this beautiful feature was completely restored, moulded from the original. We couldn't be happier with the end result!
Project FAQs
Why choose Hornsby for a new Blue Gum Community School?
Hornsby is a growing and vibrant community with increasing numbers of young families moving into the area, from various cultural backgrounds. Our preschool and school will be well positioned to meet the needs of these young families, especially those interested in a smaller school for their children, with flexible hours to support working families. Hornsby’s focus on the future, the strong arts community and people’s notable commitment to the environment were also factors that informed our belief that Blue Gum Community School’s ethos will be a good fit for families in the area.
Who is the developer?
There is no developer behind this project. This proposal is a project instigated by Blue Gum Community School in Canberra, ACT. In 2019, Mount Errington was purchased by Best-Practice Education Group Ltd (BPEG), a not-for-profit community body, in order to adapt the use of the property into a small preschool and primary school in Hornsby. BPEG, led by founder Maureen Hartung (OAM), established Blue Gum Community School in Canberra in 1998, responding to the number of students who felt alienated by highly rigid and traditional approaches to education. Blue Gum offered a new choice for families, providing an approach that emphasised the central importance of relationships, the arts and the outdoors in addition to the traditional academic disciplines of Maths and English. In her own words Maureen remains, "passionate about providing an opportunity for learning based on authentic, real-life encounters – learning that is meaningful for students and learning that addresses every child's individual strengths and challenges both academically and socially." [Link to Canberra Time article].
When are you planning on opening?
We are scheduled to open at the beginning of 2022.
Do you care about the impact of the school on the community surrounding the school?
Yes. We cannot overstate our desire to build strong relationships with our neighbours and the wider community. Considering the impact of our proposal has been in focus from the start of our planning. In particular, questions about tree retention, acoustics, parking, traffic and heritage have been a priority in all conversations leading up to the final design. We believe, based on the best advice of a range of specialist consultants, that our proposal represents a successful approach for the adaptive re-use of Mount Errington as a school.
What is the overall acoustic impact of the school?
A full acoustic assessment report will form part of the extensive Environmental Impact Study to be prepared as part of our application as a State Significant Development. The finding of an initial report, prepared for our DA, indicated the acoustic performance of the proposed Preschool and Primary School would comply fully with the requirements of all relevant acoustic guidelines. Significant setbacks, boundary fencing and staggered playtimes are some of the strategies proposed to further minimise the noise of children playing and learning outdoors.
How will the school impact traffic and parking in the area?
In focus for us from Day 1 was a thorough consideration of the traffic and parking implications of this proposal. Multiple scenarios were explored in detail before the final design was proposed. The final design include: a 'kiss and drop zone' on site to allow for up to 6 cars to queue off street; a carefully planned staggered pattern for pick-ups and drops offs and the provision of 12 car spaces which will amply cover staff parking and spaces for preschool parents to park, whilst signing children in and out.
What measures are being taken to preserve the historical value of the site?
Taking on the responsibility of a heritage listed site like Mount Errington is a labour of love. Our goal, through this proposed adaptive re-use, is to join passionate members of the community in the protection of Hornsby’s heritage.
We are particularly thankful for previous owners, who have taken great care to maintain the house over many years. We plan to follow in their footsteps, as thoughtful caretakers of the house, history and gardens. All the amazing features of the home and gardens will be celebrated, highlighted, protected or restored.
The school has been designed to fit within the current footprint, with no additional buildings proposed. The front facade will remain unchanged, apart from a small detail change to make the upper balcony safe for use.
Internal changes needed to make the house compliant with the Building Code were designed under the direct supervision and guidance of a respected Heritage Architect. All changes have been designed to be fully reversible. Where changes are proposed they have been designed to either match or complement the existing structure, colour, design and layout of the building.
An indigenous friend and colleague of the Education Director is working with the school to explore how the opening of the school and the long-term use of the site as a place of learning can be facilitated in a way that honours the indigenous history of the place to ensure relations going forward are marked with respect and acknowledgment of the first people of Australia.
The heritage of Mount Errington offers a unique opportunity to engage children’s interest in the past. The school intends to invite the children to learn about the history of Hornsby and specifically the area around the school as a natural part of the curriculum each year. Children will be encouraged to ‘take a lead’ in researching the history of the area.
The continued maintenance and protection of the heritage home and its gardens is assured.