Official Signing for McMillan Campus
February 5, 2010
OFFICIAL SIGNING FOR MCMILLAN CAMPUS
Management of the McMillan campus at Warragul has been officially signed over to ECG - Education Centre Gippsland for a thirty-year period.
ECG Chief Executive Officer Bernadette O’Connor said while the State Government had previously announced the awarding of the contract to ECG, final contracts had to be prepared for three properties previously managed by Melbourne University including the McMillan campus.
“The final signing this week officially ‘seals the deal’ enabling ECG to push forward with its plans to build the McMillan campus into a major rural studies centre and a vibrant community learning centre for Gippsland.”
Ms O’Connor said it was excellent timing as ECG has just begun the first stage of a $1.1 million infrastructure upgrade of the campus which will provide additional teaching areas, replace air conditioning, extend and upgrade the commercial kitchen, paint the main building internally and externally and other improvements. The redevelopment is scheduled for completion by June this year.”
ECG Board member Graeme Paynter said the McMillan campus was a significant community asset that needs to be well utilised and respond to the growing needs of the region.
“Signing for the property gives ECG and the community certainty for the next 30 years.
Mr Paynter said the Board recognised that across Gippsland support for ECG to gain the lease to manage this property was huge
Many businesses and individuals wrote multiple times to the Minister and the Department to express their support for ECG and that control of the property stay in local hands.
“ECG looks forward to continuing to work in conjunction with the dairy, agriculture, horticulture, equine and harness industries as well as the shire and broader businesses to further build McMillan into a facility well serving the local community and Gippsland,” Mr Paynter said
ECG CEO Bernadette O’Connor and ECG Board member Graeme Paynter sign the long waited management contract for McMillan campus.
For further information contact:
Bernadette O’Connor
ECG CEO
Education Centre Gippsland
PO Box 249 Warragul 3820
03 5622 6000