Redevelopment grant for historic Midland hotel

The Lotteries Commission has granted $591,000 for $3.65 million re-development program at Midland's historic Swanleigh High School Hostel.

The grant was announced jointly today by Lotteries Commission chairperson Wendy Silver and the Minister for Education, Kay Hallahan.

Visiting the newly opened development today, Mrs Hallahan said the Ministry of Education had supported the program with a $1 million interest-subsidised loan three months ago.

Swanleigh annually accommodates nearly 300 girls and boys, most of them from isolated homes all over the State.  Opened by the Anglican Church as Perth Orphanage in 1868 and later named Swan Boys' Home, it has been a high school hostel since 1960.

The students go to Governor Stirling Senior High School, where they comprise a quarter of the population.

"Swanleigh is giving valuable service to the rural and remote areas of this State," Mrs Hallahan said.

"It enables secondary education for children of country people who could not, in ordinary circumstances, afford to send them to private schools.

"The State and Federal governments are giving considerable assistance.  This includes our $500-a-year-boarding-away-from-home allowance for boarders eligible under the Commonwealth's Assistance for Isolated Children's Scheme, and at least $200 secondary schools assistance allowance for children of low-income earners.

"Government subsidies cover a considerable portion of the fee for Swanleigh students, which is about half the fee for some private boarding schools."

Mrs Silver said Swanleigh's council and former residents were running an enthusiastic fund-raising campaign.

"They plan to raise $1.2 million dollars in four years and are ahead of schedule in spite of the rural recession," she said.

She praised the staff and students for their high level of academic achievement and school spirit.

The Lotteries chairperson said the students generally had an excellent scholastic record.  This was despite the fact that till this year the boys were sleeping in crowded bunk rooms and the hostel had no proper library or study areas.

Mrs Silver said the Lotteries Commission had given Swanleigh a total of $66,000 since 1985 towards its five buses which carry the students to and from school.

Swanleigh's new buildings - opened last month - consist of two-storey accommodation for the boys, a dining room kitchen and laundry building, and a 'get well centre'.

All the historic buildings are being retained - including the old dining room which has been converted into a library-study area and students' common room.

The home moved from Perth to Midland on the banks of the Swan more than a century ago.  It was primarily an orphanage before 1960 though it also served as a hostel for migrant children and an Aboriginal mission.