The idea of consolidating rural schools was a feature of Victorian Education in the middle of the 1940’s. The idea was put to the local community. Members of the Education Department spoke at public meetings at Red Hill Hall and films were shown of the successful Area schools set up in Tasmania.

Red Hill Consolidated School in 1971

Mr. Woodward was approached to sell 10 acres of his property for the purpose. He was offered 22.10 pounds per acre for the land along the road to to Arthurs Seat and Main Ridge. He refused to sell and it wasn’t until he was notified that his land would be compulsory acquired that he agreed to sell, but by that time the price had dropped to only 17.00 pounds per acre. He complained about the reduced price. A further 2 acres was compulsorily acquired from the Blakely family.

The corner block of ½ acre still had to be purchased. This land belonged to Myrtle May Prosser. She agreed to sell for 65 pounds as long as she could remove the building which stood on the site. The site for the proposed school was finally acquired in July 1944. The total cost for the 13 acres was 233.16.8 pounds.

In 1946 the Red Hill Consolidation Committee was notified that the Red Hill Consolidated School would be one of the 12 consolidated schools built by 1948.

Alan A Hitchiner was secretary of the combined committee. By August 1946 the Secretary was asking why there was a delay in the commencement of the building. The committee of Red Hill South were pushing for a residence to be built as the house the Head Teacher lived in had been sold.

Plans for the school were received in February 1947. The estimate cost of the building was 39,800. No suitable tenders for the building were received.

In February 1948 the Committee was notified Red Hill would be proceeded with as one of the six originally selected schools.

On 10 June 1948, Members of the Ministry and P.W.D inspected the initial excavation of the site works. A model of the school to be built by P.W.D was made by the architecture students of Melbourne Tech. This model toured the Inspectorate.

In November 1948 a list of schools to take part in the Consolidation included Flinders, Shoreham, Merricks, Merricks North, Red Hill South, Red Hill, Main Ridge and possibly Balnarring. Red Hill South was still in need of room for the number of children attending.

In June 1949 the Ministry thought that by bringing in the local school buildings, the school may be ready to start in 1950. Unfortunately the water supply hadn’t been taken into consideration. The water supply was a major problem for several years.

In November 1949 it was decided to defer the opening until May 1950. However, the schools were not brought in and there was a delay in supplying water and sanitation to an otherwise partly completed building. At this time Balnarring had still not decided to be ‘consolidated’, also a petition came from Merricks asking to keep their school. Balnarring finally decided to join the consolidation.