History

The origins of the story as written by past Principal Ruth Tideman in her own words:

 "What sparked the idea of a country campus like Howqua was one day I realized that the Year 9 Frame of mind was not suited to sitting in classrooms doing 'Lessons'. I was teaching A Year 9 topic called 'social education' and they told me loud and clear that they did not want to be there (at school), so we wrote up on the whiteboard all the places they did want to be at 14 years of age, and it filled up the whole board. I learnt a lesson.

Year 9 could be a wasted year if we did not do it differently. There were so many things they wanted to have a go at rather than being locked up in a classroom. They had energy, ideas enthusiasm which could engage them in purposeful activities and experiences which could develop their lives." 

In the late 1980s Lauriston's School Council were briefed and support was given to explore options – ways of providing the dream. And we did. A group of staff, parents and Council began the task of finding the right place to begin this massive educational project. Professionals were called in to help - architects, town planners, and the like and one land agent in the area of interest, Mansfield.

Lauriston wanted a place to develop a resource where girls could live and manage their own living and find new things to see and do, have new approaches to learning and new recreations – things like survival hikes, riding horses and bikes, games and snow, a place they could call their own and grow. 

A place that tested their resourcefulness, creativity, resilience and independence and which engaged their heart and their mind and importantly, grew team spirit. 

The property was found with help from a Mansfield land agent – it was a beautiful former farm on the edge of a State Forest with tremendous possibilities for just this sort of development. School Council purchased the property in 1991 and the first stage was opened in July 1993. The Campus began small and within a few years grew to accommodate the whole year group.