25 Sept 2021
Help save Sunshine Tech ! Built 1938 by my fave designer #PercyEverett, chief architect of the public works department, in a fine Streamlined Moderne style. Closed some time ago, and now the Education Department, having failed to find a new use or properly secure the site, thinks the best solution is complete demolition!
It’s heritage listed by Brimbank, but the Department is actually exempt from local heritage controls (and yes that should change). There’s a petition by the local advocacy group, just google ‘Stop planned demolition of sunshine technical college’ or even better write to the Minister, JamesMerlino @parliament.Vic.gov.AU. Say something like ‘this is one of the best examples of interwar architecture in the west, please do better’; ‘please comply with the controls the rest of us have to’; ‘hand over the buildings to brimbank council, who recently voted to put them to community use’ or even just ‘please secure these buildings properly’.
Also, there’s other buildings on the site that can go if necessary, just keep the original buildings, maybe the sunshine primary school next door could use them ?
Update 24 September 2024
Since then the Education Department have said they’re hanging in to it for ‘future education needs’. Meanwhile Brimbank Council nominated it for the state heritage register, which was unsuccessful but they’re appealing it, but I don’t like their chances. It’s very stylish, designed by one of my fave architects Percy Everett, chief architect of Public Works, and the streamlined cream brick girls school was completed in 1940, and it’s very fine, but not any better than others of his that are on the register, like Essendon Tech. The boys section is a result of a first floor addition to an older building in 1947, and is also nice but not great. The argument is that the west is under represented, but that’s mainly because the east is full of mansions and big elaborate things that the rich could afford, so it’s always going to be ahead in architectural terms. Photos from various websites.
10 June 2025
So the City of Brimbank made the effort to nominate to Heritage Victoria, who said no, which they appealed, and in January this year they got that decision overturned ! Somehow I missed the news.
The two buildings have been listed for a range of nuanced reasons, including : that it was one of the first 3 state technical schools, starting in 1912; HV Mackay was involved allowing his workers a half day off from Sunshine Harvester to attend; the girls tech was the first one, starting in 1921; it’s the best remaining technical school with both boys and girls wings; the girls building is intact inside complete with blackboards; and it’s a state-level important example of a ‘Moderne style technical school’. That last bit I can quibble with – but since I don’t have the document with the comparisons, I’ll just point out that the ex Box Hill Girls is very similar, and earlier (1936, 2nd last pic), and that Essendon Tech (1939, last pic) is an even better example, also on the register, but I don’t know how intact either are inside. But the few Everett interiors I’ve seen often feature varnished door height brickwork, very hardy.
B&W from @vic_archives, interior HV, box hill my pic, Essendon SLV.
Storey of Melbourne 