New school for Harpley

Five-year-old Indiana will be starting at a new school in the Harpley Estate in 2021. Photo by Damjan Janevski.

By Alesha Capone

The name of a new primary school set to open in Werribee during 2021, has been released.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School will be located on the corner of Treeve Parkway and Fairhall Avenue, within the Harpley estate.

The school’s name honours the history of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, who have been involved in the parish of Werribee since 1906.

The Josephite sisters were sent to Werribee to administer at St Andrew’s school by Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop.

Stage one construction of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, valued at $5.7 million, is set to start this month.

The stage one construction will cater for 200 students, with eight learning spaces over two storeys as well as specialist learning areas and administration facilities. In the future, the school will be completed across a further two stages and will be able to accommodate about 500 students.

The search for the school foundation principal will also begin this year. The Harpley estate, located near Bulban Road and McGrath Road, is a 435-hectare master-planned community. It is estimated the estate will become home to about 12,000 residents upon completion.

The estate also has a proposed government primary school, proposed government secondary school and a private P-12 school slated for construction in the future.

The Harpley Town Centre is expected to deliver 8000 square metres of retail and 2000 square metres of non-retail commercial space.

Families interested in attending St Joseph’s can sign up for news updates via the school website, at sjwerribee.catholic.edu.au

Alternatively, email enquiries@sjwerribee. catholic.edu.au or call 0422 048 938.