General News
31 January, 2026
Department Reviewing Closure Request for Marnoo Primary School
THE Education Department says it is considering a request to permanently close Marnoo Primary School. Marnoo Primary School last year celebrated its 150th anniversary, however its remaining three students – all siblings – this year moved to another district, leaving the school with no enrolments.
The Marnoo Primary School Council wrote to the department last year advising there are no current or expected enrolments on the horizon.
“Marnoo Primary School has no enrolments for 2026, and the school council has recommended the closure of the school. The recommendation remains under consideration by the department,” an Education Department spokesperson said.
Marnoo Primary School has been an important pillar in the local community since opening in 1875.
It has educated literally thousands of local children, but in recent years its numbers have started to drop as the town’s population declined.
It’s a further blow to the Marnoo community which over the past decade has also seen the closure of its local shop and hotel.
The Education Department has confirmed it will continue to maintain the buildings and grounds at Marnoo Primary School until an official decision is made on its future.
Marnoo Primary School has a long and proud history, officially opening in May 1875 with 23 students.
By 1883, a new building with an attached four-room residence was constructed for £565, located east of Marnoo along the Wimmera Highway towards St Arnaud.
In 1918, the school was detached from the residence and relocated to the southern end of town, and a more permanent two-room brick building was completed in 1927 where the school building remains to this day.
In 1962, the school expanded again, adding a Light Timber Construction (LTC) building consisting of a classroom, storeroom, and staff office, a structure that still served the school until the end of 2025.
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