The story so far. Below this line is the background, for people who are new to this place.
The next chapter
Old Kyneton Primary School, into the future
A landmark of our town since the 1850s. Carefully restored, and ready to begin again.
The community forum, 10 August 2026
We said we would read every single one. We did.
147 sticky notes were written on the night. Every one has been read, logged and thought through, including the ones that were hard to read about ourselves, but we love honesty and it’s how we get better. Here is what you told us, what worried you, and what we are doing about it.
147
notes written
65
ideas for the site
42
worries raised
10
questions asked
What happened
The forum, 10 August
On Monday 10 August we opened the doors at Social Foundry and asked the town what the Old Kyneton Primary School site should become.
Around 100 people were in the room, with local businesses, community groups and organisations represented alongside residents, neighbours and young people. We shared the story of the site, the partnership and the early thinking, then handed the evening over to you. 147 sticky notes came back, and this page is what is in them.
Want to see exactly what we presented on the night? Download the deck, unedited, including the slide where we listed the things we don’t know.
Download the forum deck (PDF, 27 MB)Concerns before concepts
What worried you
We have put this first, and in your own words.
That it becomes commercial and the community gets squeezed out
This was the most strongly felt set of notes in the room. Seven notes, all negative, and the sharpest language of the night.
“the business, its profit becoming more important than the people of our community. The costs of keeping this going. Locals not being heard. Youth not being represented. Preferences to private sector + private schools”
“Worried it will become yet another elitist tourism venture”
“Spaces become just commercial profit centres.”
“Concerned that with reliance on private funding will cause the project to become fully commercial & privately led.”
Swipe or scroll sideways for all four →
Our response
SOFO has spent ten years delivering community-focused impact programs in Kyneton, and nearly all of them have come at low cost or no cost to the people they serve. That is our track record, and it is the standard we are bringing to this site. It is also why this is a consortium and not a single operator. Our partners bring access to funding streams that don’t depend on squeezing revenue out of community use, and real-world case studies of precincts where exactly this balance has been struck and held. Commerce on this site exists to serve community, not the other way around, and the partnership was built to keep it that way.
That the community will not really be heard
Eighteen notes touched governance, transparency and voice, more than any other single theme. The hardest of them was about us.
“How SoFo have handled their interactions with community groups so far hasn’t reassured us that they will continue to hear us.”
“The number of non local investors in the site. will locals actually be heard.”
“A small loud group will take over.”
“Loud voices taking up lots of space. How to listen to those not in the room?”
Swipe or scroll sideways for all four →
Our response
We thought about whether to publish that first one, as we’re unsure exactly what we’ve failed at. But, we decided that leaving it out would prove the point it makes. It is a fair thing to have written, and the only useful answer is what we do next rather than what we say here. The last one is the question we found hardest and most useful. A forum only ever hears from the people who came. So, we listen, learn and grow.
That nobody will be able to afford to use it
Nine notes, and the fear was consistent, that a beautifully restored site would be priced beyond the people it was restored for.
“That creatives will be priced out by outrageous rent.”
“Inaccessible rent/utilities for smaller NFPs (artist run spaces/workshops)”
“Kids + parents need spaces to go where we don’t always have to spend money. non-monetised access!”
Swipe or scroll sideways for all three →
Our response
We cannot give you numbers yet, and we are not going to invent them. What we can tell you is how we are thinking about it. A site that only works for people who can pay commercial rent would not be worth doing, and several of you told us that in stronger words than we would have used. Pricing has to work for community groups, artists and not-for-profits, and there has to be somewhere on the site you can simply be without buying anything. Those are design requirements, not aspirations.
That it will take too long, or not survive
Ten notes about funding, timelines and long-term security. Most of this anxiety is directed at the pace of government process rather than at any of the partners, and we think it’s legitimate, but not to continue to dwell on.
“Fear. That we have another 9 years of running to stand still.”
“Licence is only for 3-5 years. What happens after that? How will it be guaranteed that the site will remain part of the community?”
“RED TAPE. CHANGE OF GOVT MIGHT SHIFT FOCUS OFF PROJECT.”
“That it’s just more op shops. Needs to be a solid sustainable active business model.”
Swipe or scroll sideways for all four →
Our response
Government is invested in this project, which is why it has adopted the consortium model, and we are now working together to secure the long-term plans for the site. And that last note is a warning about the business model itself, which we took seriously. A serious community vision still needs a serious financial model, and building one is exactly the work we are in. We’re working hard to continue the momentum!
That it will compete with what Kyneton already has
Four notes, and they named real local operators who already run classes, shared workspace and markets in this town. We have not reproduced those business names here, because it is not our place to put them on our website.
“We already have co-working spaces in Kyneton. Do we need more?”
Others asked how the site would avoid duplicating group classes and programs that existing small businesses and the Community House already provide, and what the impact would be on the existing farmers market.
Our response
We have already met with a number of local business operators, and we are very eager to meet with many, many more. If you run a business or a group and want to talk, please reach out. We would much rather work together than guess at each other's plans.
The heart of a living community precinct is that it raises the tide for the whole town. Businesses, community groups, young people, older people, all of it. Our intention is to work closely with local operators so this site strengthens what Kyneton already has and brings new energy to the whole region.
The practical things
Not everything was a matter of principle. You also raised, and we have logged, the following.
- Parking, twice, including from an organisation that operates on the site and needs to keep accessible parking for its users.
- Noise restrictions, given the residential surrounds, particularly for events and festivals.
- Security, vandalism, and a shortage of accommodation in town if the site draws event visitors.
- Certainty about Building B, and who maintains the buildings and grounds over time.
- Start-up costs in an empty building, especially insurance.
- Whether the old bluestone shed will be protected. One person wrote that they had already saved it once.
You also disagreed with each other about whether the site should host health or crisis support services. Two separate notes proposed a winter shelter for people sleeping rough, using the site’s large hall and shower facilities in partnership with existing charities. Another opposed any health or crisis service on the site, and one raised ongoing concerns about security. We have recorded all of these, and they will be worked through carefully as the plan takes shape.
Answered, or honestly deferred
What you asked us
Ten notes asked us a direct question. Here they are, in the writers’ own words. Where we can answer, we have. Where we cannot yet, we say so rather than filling the space.
“Is there going to be a community management / advisory group?”
Right now we are meeting with a great many partners, community groups and interested people, and those conversations are shaping how the site will work. We are planning out not only governance but also the ongoing management of the site, and community involvement is part of that thinking.
“What is the place for community in the ongoing governance arrangements?”
We are still in the process of working this out. The governance arrangements for the site are being developed with our partners and with government, and we are not going to describe a structure before it has been agreed.
“Loud voices taking up lots of space. How to listen to those not in the room?”
We do not have a good answer to this yet, and we would rather say so. An evening forum in a room only ever hears from the people who could get there, and the people who could get there are not a complete cross-section of Kyneton. We are working on how to reach the people who were not in the room, including those who cannot attend evening events, do not read our channels, or would not think of this project as being for them. If you have a view on how to do that well, we would like to hear it, and if you’re one of them, please reach out.
“How will you make sure to not step on toes of existing small business?”
This came up more than once, and the notes named local businesses and organisations by name. We have not reproduced those names here because it is not our place to put them on our website. We have already met with a number of local operators, and we are eager to meet with many more. We also encourage businesses to reach out to us, we would genuinely rather work together than guess at each other's plans. Where an activity is already well provided for in Kyneton, the question we will be asking is not whether we could run it, but whether anyone actually needs us to.
“How to avoid competition with other small business who run group classes?”
See the answer above. Two different people asked this, naming the same kinds of operators, and one answer is owed to both of them. Those conversations are happening now, and the door is open to any operator who wants to have a chat. Please do!
“Clarity needed around ownership long-term and sustainability of any model. Could the government pull the pin on any project despite independent investment?”
Government is invested in this project, which is why it has adopted the consortium model, and we are now working together to secure the long-term plans for the site. On the second half of the question, the risk you have identified, that the uses which pay push out the uses that matter, is a real one and it is the thing we are most actively designing against.
“Contingency for pandemic closures?”
A fair question, and one SOFO has direct experience of. Any model for this site has to assume that trading conditions will not be continuous, and that fixed costs on a large site do not pause when the doors close. It is one of the tests we are applying to the financial model rather than something we will work out afterwards.
“Will rental be too expensive for the average joe? eg, artists often don’t have much money.”
We cannot give you numbers yet, and we are not going to invent them. What we can tell you is how we are thinking about it. A site that only works for people who can pay commercial rent would not be worth doing, and several of you told us that in stronger words than we would have used. Pricing has to work for community groups, artists and not-for-profits, and there has to be somewhere on the site you can simply be without buying anything. Those are design requirements, not aspirations.
“How will you deal with parking?”
Parking is a definite consideration as we build out the delivery of the site and the plan around it. It was raised several times on the night, including the need to keep accessible parking available for an organisation that operates on the site, and it will be worked through as part of that planning.
“Will there be noise restrictions due to the residential area? Specifically regarding events and festivals.”
Yes, and this is one of the places where what some of you want and what others of you want do not sit comfortably together. Ten notes asked for festivals, live music and outdoor events. This one asked whether the neighbours will be able to sleep. Both are reasonable, and this is something we will continue working very carefully through.
The 65 ideas
What you want this place to be
Read together, the 65 ideas did not describe 65 different buildings.
They described one, fairly consistently.
Eighteen notes
A home for community groups, and somewhere to just be
Somewhere that is not home and not work, open often, free to walk into, and belonging to everyone.
“A home for community groups + organisations. A vibrant, beating heart for Kyneton that is welcoming to and utilised by the broad community”
You named the groups you had in mind, including Rotary, Lions, the Daffodil and Arts Festival, a newcomers club, mothers and babies groups, indoor sport, and quiet space for students.
Seventeen notes
Somewhere to make things, not just look at them
You did not ask for just a gallery. You asked for production space.
“Low cost artist studios to bring together community creating, because art can be very lonely for regional artists.”
Recording studios, rehearsal rooms, dance studios, a kiln, community radio and podcasting, and a small, welcoming art house cinema.
Fourteen notes
Young people, and a way into work
Two of these notes were written by someone who noted their own age on the page.
“Area for students to hang out, featuring outside study booths and a bike pump. (From a 12y.o)”
Plus a STEAM space, a vocational college as a major tenant, a Kyneton gap year for thirty school leavers, and a youth voice on the board.
Eight notes
Food, growing and gathering
Growing it, selling it, and sitting down to eat it together.
“A site that feeds Kyneton with fresh fruit & veg. Kyneton Farmers Mkt. Community Garden”
Plus a community kitchen for hire, a pop-up bar using only local producers, an all-abilities playground and outdoor gym, and outdoor performance space.
Swipe or scroll sideways for all four →
And the ones we did not expect
A solar farm on site in the style of Newstead, with an EV charging hub feeding community power back into the grid.
A traffic school for teaching children road rules, with a garden nursery and chickens.
Events with no technology at all.
A drop-in bike mechanic.
Temporary buildings or shipping containers to get the site working quickly, written in capitals with three exclamation marks.
Low or no cost stalls for people with disabilities to sell their crafts.
Almost nobody publishes this
Where you disagreed with each other
This is the part we think matters most, and it is the part a summary would normally leave out. It is also part of the joy of holding the tensions in conversation with you, our community. On several questions the room did not agree. We are sharing those tensions openly, because they are the real design questions this place has to hold.
Commercially solid, or not commercial at all
One side
The model has to be genuinely sustainable. Not “just more op shops”.
The other side
It must not become a commercial centre. Not corporate, not a profit centre.
Both are right, and holding both is the actual design problem.
Busy, or quiet
One side
Festivals, markets, live music, roller rinks and discos.
The other side
Quiet spaces, study rooms, tai chi and a garden to sit in.
We think this is a question of zoning and timetabling rather than of choosing.
A destination, or a local place
One side
Somewhere people will travel to. A regional art museum.
The other side
Not another elitist tourism venture. And where will they park.
The word “destination” clearly means very different things to different people in this town.
New offer, or protecting the existing one
One side
Co-working, classes, studios, a maker space.
The other side
We already have those in Kyneton. Do we need more.
Requests for co-working, classes and studios sit directly against concerns about competing with operators already doing that work here.
Move fast, or consult properly
One side
Shipping containers on site immediately. Fast activation.
The other side
True consultation before anything happens to Building B.
Both were impatient, for opposite reasons.
Swipe or scroll sideways for all five →
Every note, in your words
The wall
A summary asks you to trust the summariser. A wall, or table of notes does not. Here are the notes from the night, in the writers’ own words. Filter them, search them, or read every one.
142 of the 147 notes written on the night appear on this wall. A small number carried a person’s name or contact details, or something private, and those are represented in the sections above instead. Otherwise, it’s all as received, straight from our community.
Showing 142 of 142 notes
One more note
“I’m a believer, but I hope you have the fortitude to deal with the naysayers. Stay strong. XX”
Thank you to whoever wrote this note... To everyone who came, wrote something down and was honest with us, believers and doubters alike. We have kept this note close. A project like this will always attract strong opinions (and sadly this one has), and the surest answer to doubt is not an argument. It is a place that works, built patiently with the people who show up. We intend to stay strong, and continue doing the right thing, listening, loving, and leading in this space.
Commitments, not intentions
What happens now
Publishing your words back to you is not, on its own, worth much. Somebody at the forum wrote that they wanted true community consultation with outcomes that do not simply replicate what already happens. That note has been sitting on the desk while we wrote this page.
The fences come down first
The Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival will be on this site across the weekend of 12 and 13 September. After nine years behind a locked gate, this town gets to walk back in, play, see, and engage. That is the first real thing, and it is happening because our community wants it.
We will keep holding forums
Several of you asked for exactly this. One note simply said, ongoing conversation with community, like today. Many other meetings have taken place, are taking place, or are in the diary.
We are still working on how to reach the people who were not there
We do not have a good answer to this yet. The person who asked how we would listen to those not in the room identified a real limitation of an evening forum, and we would rather say we are working on it than pretend otherwise.
Said on the night, still true
What we still do not know
At the forum we put up a slide called “what we do not know yet”.
It is still true, so here it is again, updated.
- What it will cost to finish Building B, or when.
- What it will cost a community group to use a room.
- How we choose, when more groups want space than we have.
- What the large flexible space becomes.
- How we hear from the people who were not in the room.
We would much rather tell you that plainly than make something up and be held to it in three years.
Some of the biggest questions you asked are not ours alone to answer.
The site is state owned, the arrangements for its use are still being worked through with government, and we are not going to publish a timeline or a guarantee that we cannot stand behind. What we can say is this. Nothing has been finally approved. The partners are exploring what this site could become, not implementing a decided plan. Bear with us in the process, and to be honest, a process that is pretty huge. But we’re excited for what it will become. Thanks for your patience!
Since the 1850s
A landmark in the story of Kyneton
For generations, the old Kyneton Primary School has been a place of learning, formation, memory and community life.
Built from local bluestone in the 1850s, it has watched over our town for more than a century and a half. When its doors closed in 2018, a much-loved place fell quiet. But a story this significant was never going to end there.
A $12 million restoration
Brought back to life, stone by stone
Backed by a $12 million Victorian Government investment, the site has been painstakingly restored, ready for a new life of art, creativity and community.
The 1850s bluestone building has been repaired and reinforced. The slate roof and bell tower restored. A new contemporary building added to welcome visitors, and the grounds revitalised with more than 3,000 new plants. Phase one is now complete.
Restored by the Victorian Government through Development Victoria, with Working Heritage, Creative Victoria, and builder McCorkell Constructions.
The next chapter
Now, a place to belong
Social Foundry has been entrusted to help bring this landmark to life, in partnership with ValueLab/Impact Neighbourhoods and Creative Victoria.
After ten years of building belonging through our café, we have been given the opportunity to help steward the site's future. Our hope is to grow a living community precinct. A place that honours its past, and opens its doors to everyone.
The early vision
A living community precinct
A place where people gather over food and conversation, local enterprise is supported, creativity and culture are celebrated, young people can learn and participate, community groups can connect, and the history and future of the region can be held with care.
HospitalityCo-workingTraining & learningCommunity programsCreative & cultural spacesLocal historyIndigenous storytellingEventsMakers & retailYouth engagementRest & belonging
On the night we said that every one of these is a question, not an answer. The forum notes have now told us which ones the room actually asked for, and the response above this line is the record of that.
Who's involved
A partnership of purpose
Social Foundry
A local social enterprise and registered charity, bringing ten years of proven, commercially sustainable community impact and real operational capability.
ValueLab/Impact Neighbourhoods
Expertise in precinct thinking, civic renewal, long-term asset models, and helping underutilised places become active, sustainable and valuable for community over time.
Creative Victoria
The Victorian Government body supporting creative industries, cultural experiences and the creative economy, connecting the site with broader cultural opportunities.
How we're doing this
Listen first
We said we would not announce a finished plan, and we have not. On 10 August we asked the town what it wanted and what worried it, and 147 notes came back. Everything on this page above the break came from that room.
A place this significant should be shaped through listening, consultation, testing and responsible planning. We are committed to honouring the site's past, respecting and telling the story of its Indigenous heritage, serving the present, and helping imagine what Kyneton and the Macedon Ranges can become. Some people will feel excited. Others may have questions or concerns. Both responses matter.
This is a significant space, and it deserves a thoughtful journey. We do not pretend to have every answer yet. Our hope is to listen well, consult carefully, and shape a future that honours its past and serves the present.
Paul Dettmann, Co-founder, Social FoundryYou might have questions
Questions and answers
What did the community actually say?
147 sticky notes were written at the community forum on 10 August 2026, and every one has been read, logged and thought through. 65 were ideas, 42 were worries, and 10 were direct questions, which we have answered or honestly deferred above. Read every note on the wall.
Will the community be consulted?
Yes, and it has started. The first community forum was held on 10 August 2026, 147 notes came back, and this page is the record of what was said and what we are doing about it. Consultation is not a promise on this site any more, it is a published record, and there will be more of it.
What will consultation look like?
The first forum has happened, and this page shows what came out of it. From here, it looks like more forums, direct conversations with the community groups and local operators who put their hands up, and this page being updated as answers are settled rather than saved for announcements. The commitments section above says what is locked in.
What if people disagree with Social Foundry being involved?
Some do, and we have published it. One note at the forum said that how we have handled our interactions with community groups so far has not been reassuring. It is quoted in full in the worries section above, and it stays on the wall. Our commitment is to listen respectfully, communicate clearly and build trust through what we do next, not through what we say here.
Will this become too commercial?
Seven notes at the forum told us this worry is live, and they are published in the worries section along with our response. In short, Social Foundry has spent ten years delivering community-focused programs at low or no cost to the people they serve, and our consortium partners bring funding streams and proven precinct models that do not depend on squeezing community out. Commerce on this site exists to serve community, not the other way around.
Will this compete with local businesses?
We have already met with a number of local business operators, and we are eager to meet with many more. If you run a business or a group and want to talk, please reach out. The heart of a living community precinct is that it raises the tide for the whole town, for businesses, community groups, young people and older people alike, and our intention is to work closely with local operators so this site strengthens Kyneton and the wider region.
Will the space be free to use?
Nine notes pushed on this, and they deserve a straighter answer than a value statement. We cannot give you numbers yet. What we can say is that pricing has to work for community groups, artists and not-for-profits, and that there has to be somewhere on the site you can simply be without buying anything. Old buildings still need maintenance, staffing, insurance and care, so a serious community vision still needs a serious financial model. Both of those things are true at once.
What about neighbours, traffic and parking?
Two direct questions were asked about this at the forum, one about parking and one about noise for events, and they are both in the questions section above. Parking is a definite consideration as we build out the delivery of the site, and noise, particularly around events, is something we will continue working very carefully through with our neighbours.
When can the community visit the site?
The Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival will be on the site across the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026. After nine years behind a locked gate, that is the first chance for the whole town to walk back in.
Will community groups be able to use the space?
Eighteen notes at the forum asked for exactly this, more than any other single idea. It is part of the vision, and it will need to be planned properly. Many groups will understandably want access. The challenge will be creating a fair, practical and sustainable model that works for the site, the community and the long-term operating costs.
What happens next?
The commitments are in the what happens now section above, starting with the Daffodil and Arts Festival weekend on site. Beyond that, a staged process of communication, consultation, site access planning, partner engagement and operational modelling continues. The aim is to move carefully. This is about stewarding a significant local place well, for our whole community to flourish.
What is being announced?
Social Foundry, in partnership with ValueLab/Impact Neighbourhoods and with the involvement of Creative Victoria, is being given the opportunity to help explore the future of the old Kyneton Primary School site. This is the beginning of a next-stage process, not the announcement of a fully finalised plan.
Has Social Foundry been awarded the site?
Yes, in collaboration with a consortium. The formal details will be confirmed through the State Government announcement. Social Foundry and ValueLab/Impact Neighbourhoods have worked through an early consultation and planning process, and Social Foundry is preparing to help steward the next stage of the site's future.
Why Social Foundry?
Social Foundry is a local organisation, social enterprise and not-for-profit with proven experience in creating commercially sustainable models that deliver community impact. The existing café is already a working model of hospitality, training, employment pathways, belonging and community development. This site needs vision, but it also needs operational capability.
Why ValueLab/Impact Neighbourhoods?
ValueLab/Impact Neighbourhoods brings expertise in precinct thinking, civic renewal, long-term asset models, and helping underutilised places become active, sustainable and valuable for community over time.
What is Creative Victoria's role?
Creative Victoria is the Victorian Government body that supports creative industries, cultural experiences and the creative economy. Their involvement helps connect the future of the site with broader cultural, creative and community opportunities.
Is there already a finished plan?
No. There is early thinking and a developing vision, but not a finished plan. That is intentional. A place this important should be shaped through listening, consultation, testing and responsible planning. The forum, and this page, are what that looks like in practice.
Why aren't you sharing every detail yet?
Because sharing too much too early can create confusion, false expectations or unnecessary concern. We want to be transparent, but also responsible. The next stage is about sharing information in the right order, once access, timelines, responsibilities and consultation pathways are clearer.
What kinds of uses are being considered?
Potential uses may include hospitality, co-working, training, community programs, creative spaces, cultural storytelling, local history, exhibitions, events, maker and retail opportunities, social enterprise activity, youth engagement, tourism experiences, and spaces for rest, reflection and belonging. The forum notes, published above, show which of these the room actually asked for.
How will Indigenous history and culture be handled?
With care, respect and proper consultation. Conversations have already begun regarding Indigenous storytelling, cultural interpretation and tourism experiences, and will continue with appropriate Indigenous voices, Elders, artists, knowledge holders and cultural guidance.
Will the old school buildings be preserved?
The bluestone buildings have been beautifully restored, and much of the funding was required to make them safe and functional. The aim is to honour the significance and character of the site. The practical details will depend on building condition, compliance, safety, heritage considerations, access requirements and available resources. Renewal must be both respectful and realistic.
Be part of the conversation
Couldn't make the forums?
One person at the forum asked how we would hear from the people who were not there. We do not have a complete answer yet, and this form is part of it.
Tell us your idea, ask us a question, or tell us what worries you. We will read it, the same way we read the notes on the wall.
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