What if these walls could talk at Preshil Blackhall Kalimna Secondary Campus? This campus is more than just classrooms. It holds stories within its very structure. Preshil School, also known as The Margaret Lyttle Memorial School, has a rich history. It is an independent co-educational day school. Preshil is located in Kew a suburb of Melbourne. The secondary school finds its home here at the Blackhall Kalimna campus on Sackville Street.
Preshil teaches a progressive curriculum. It stands as Australia’s oldest progressive school. Founded in 1931 by Margaret J. R. Lyttle, Preshil has always been about forward-thinking education.
Blackhall itself has a fascinating past. It was built in 1890. William Henry Roberts first owned it as a private home. In 1915, the Salvation Army purchased Blackhall. They renamed it the Catherine Booth Girls’ Home. From 1915 to 1976, it housed around 90 to 100 girls aged 4 to 16. Catherine Booth and her husband William founded the Salvation Army. An original plaque still marks the entrance.
Preshil purchased Blackhall in 1978 for its Senior School. Imagine the transformation. From a private residence to a girls’ home and now a school.
Nearby stands Kalimna. William H. Jarman, an accountant, first owned Kalimna in 1890. It was a substantial two-story residence. From 1945, Kalimna became Myra House. The Catholic Church ran it as a home for girls aged 14 to 18. Myra House closed around 1970.
Preshil once owned another property called Yallambie. It was the former home of Sir Owen Dixon, chief justice of Australia. Preshil purchased it in 1975. They later sold the Yallambie campus after using it for classrooms.
Preshil’s influence extends beyond its campuses. During the 1980s, David Corke and Preshil students identified Burke’s camps. These camps marked the explorers’ journey from Cooper Creek to the Diamantina River. Corke also replotted the site of Wills’ death.
Even an affiliated school arose from Preshil’s philosophy. ERA Secondary School in Donvale was founded by Preshil parents. They desired a secondary school that continued Preshil’s educational approach.
Today, Preshil Blackhall Kalimna Secondary Campus continues its legacy. It shapes young minds. It encourages courage to question. The walls here echo with the laughter of students past and present. They stand as a testament to progressive education. The campus embodies a spirit of inquiry. It fosters a community of thinkers and learners.