Historical education buildings in need of a new lease of life

Class could officially be back in session with these school houses up for grabs around Australia. Former schools crop up semi-frequently on realcommercial.com.au and present as an interesting development opportunity either as a blank canvas or to give them a new lease on life.

Exceptionally rare agricultural college up for grabs

This history filled former agricultural college is up for grabs for the first time in 90 years in Perth’s north with $30 to $35 million price expectations.

Combining farmland and bygone educational infrastructure, the former Bindoon Agricultural College is one of WA’s most prominent rural landholdings set on more than 3460ha across 11 titles.

Ray White Rural WA director Hugh Ness said the estate combines a high-yielding cropping and livestock operation with extraordinary historic educational infrastructure featuring majestic inter-war free classical and Romanesque architecture.

“Interest has been pretty good considering the type of property it is,” he said. “The college infrastructure is very much attracting interest from educators.

“It’s a rarity…there’s only a couple of them in the state.”

Ray White Rural WA principal Steve Vaughan said it was exceptionally rare to see a landholding of such scale, versatility, and historical significance hit the market so close to the Perth metropolitan area.

“Whether a buyer is looking to expand a commercial broad acre agricultural footprint, explore adaptive re-use of the magnificent heritage infrastructure, or capitalise on the subdivision potential across the 11 titles, the property presents an unprecedented canvas in one of WA’s most sought-after agricultural belts,” he said.

Aside from the historic significance of the school there’s also prime cropping and farming opportunity. Picture: Ray White Rural WA

Dating back to 1936, the property is classified under the State Heritage Register, and its statement of significance notes it as being of “exceptional significance in the history of Catholic orphanage and farm school development in the state and nation.”

Featuring a number of buildings, the estate includes substantial residential accommodation, comprising five detached homes, extensive educational facilities, a swimming pool, a commercial kitchen and sports courts.

There is also some 1600ha of cleared, highly fertile land suitable for dryland cropping and grazing, backed by secure water infrastructure including solar-powered bores, freshwater springs, and catchment dams.

There are also 10 smaller titled lots ranging between 15 and 41ha.

The offers to purchase process ends November 6.

Bindoon wore many hats in its day, including as a trade school for boys, an orphanage, and later as a co-educational agricultural school, before shuttering in 2025. Picture: Ray White Rural WA

Rare heritage opportunity in the Brisbane CBD

On the other side of the country, another former educational building is seeking a new lease of life with the 1865 built Brisbane School of Arts building being listed for sale.

The freehold offering at 166 Ann Street is regarded as one of Brisbane’s most significant heritage landmarks located in the CBD.

The 1009sqm site comprises 1163sqm across three levels and a basement, and also includes four carparks and 22 metres of street frontage.

CBRE QLD director Will Carman, who selling the building on behalf of the Brisbane City Council, said buyer interest has been varied with a range of different enquiries including using the building for commercial office space to food and hospitality, or boutique accommodation.

Many Brisbaneites who frequent the CBD will be familiar with this old school house on Ann Street. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

“It’s been vacant for about 15 years. The history of the building was that it started as a servant’s house or headquarters in the mid 1800s. So they would bring people over from overseas, and this is where that learned to become a servant,” he said.

“It went through a pretty major renovation in the early 1900s by an architect called Richard Gailey, who’s a pretty prominent Brisbane architect and then it became the Brisbane Technical School.”

It was later home to the State Library for some 40 to 50 years, he said.

The heritage building is offered for sale via a Tender Process, which closes November 12.

The former school of arts, servants’ college, and state library, is being enveloped by modern skyscrapers. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

Outdoor education and camping venue

On Sydney’s leafy north shore sits a 6.17ha landholding, dubbed Naamaroo, which is used by The Kings School as an outdoor education and residential camp, is on the market via an Expressions of Interest campaign closing November 11.

The private land parcel, which is adjacent to Lane Cove National Park, has a RE2 Private Recreation zoning which provides scope for a diverse range of future potential uses including a community or education facility, childcare or a registered club.

It was once operated by The Uniting Church as a youth recreational camp and conference venue and is fully equipped for immediate operation.

This school camp at one time occupied by the King’s School is up for grabs in Lindfield. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

The turnkey facility has undergone a $1.7 million refurbishment in the past few years.

The landholding includes accommodation for up to 184 guests, a grass field, swimming pool and a basketball court, administrative facilities and a commercial kitchen.

The listing notes that opportunities to acquire a “landholding of this scale and proximity to the Sydney CBD are exceptionally scarce.”