Construction of a new Wild Cherry Steiner School campus at Johnsonville is set to begin this month, paving the way for a major expansion of alternative education opportunities for families across East Gippsland.
Wild Cherry currently operates from its Bairnsdale campus as a kindergarten-to-Grade 6 school, with plans to relocate to Johnsonville at the start of the 2028 school year and ultimately expand its offering through to Year 12.
The new campus is expected to significantly increase the school’s capacity from around 60 students at its current site to between 300 and 400 students as it grows.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester recently visited Wild Cherry’s existing Bairnsdale campus and welcomed progress on the Johnsonville development.
“It was great to meet with the Wild Cherry team and learn more about their plans for the future because it is clear they have outgrown their current site,” Mr Chester said.
“The Johnsonville development will give the school the space and facilities it needs to grow and provide more local families with access to an alternative education model closer to home.”
Established in 2013, Wild Cherry Steiner School bases its education model on holistic development, respect for childhood, connection with nature, creativity and the arts, rhythm and routine, and community.
Mr Chester said the expansion would broaden education choice for families across East Gippsland.
“Wild Cherry is the only Steiner school between Warragul and Bega, so this project has the potential to serve families across a very large part of regional Victoria,” Mr Chester said.
“Education is not one-size-fits-all, and regional families should have access to a range of schooling options so parents can choose an environment that best suits their children.”
Wild Cherry secured $3 million of Commonwealth Government funding in 2025 to help bring the Johnsonville development to life and is now seeking a further $1.5 million to complete the final stages of the project.
Preparations for construction are well advanced, with a contractor appointed to deliver an administration building, amenities block, car park and associated services at the Johnsonville site.
Mr Chester said the project represented a significant long-term investment in education infrastructure for East Gippsland.
“The Wild Cherry community has worked for years to bring this project to this point, and construction getting underway is an important milestone,” Mr Chester said.
“I congratulate the staff, families and supporters who have driven the project and look forward to seeing the new campus take shape ahead of the planned move in 2028.”
