By Tyler Wright
Students at Mount Dandenong Primary School now have access to a reading haven after an upgrade to the school’s library and the installation of a new sculpture.
Principal Jake Laurie said the school community raised $30,000 for the upgrade through fundraising efforts in 2022.
“We have completely rebuilt one wall, and we have painted the whole space,” Mr Laurie said.
“We’ve got all new carpet and then we removed all of the old horrible steel shelving we had and we bought all new bookshelves, beautiful new furniture and seating spaces for the kids.
“The sculpture has come out of storm recovery from the 2021 big storm; we partnered with Kalorama Collective to apply for one of the Yarra Ranges Council’s storm recovery grants and were successful.”
Out of that successful grant application, Mr Laurie said the school engaged local artist Anton McMurray, to sculpt an artwork out of a fallen log from a community member’s property.
“A community member whose children went here decades ago and she was very keen for one of the fallen trees in her property to go towards something beautiful for the school,” Mr Laurie said.
Mr Laurie said the idea is that the big leaf motif symbolises beauty out of the “destruction” of the storm that was a “horrendous experience” for children and families in the Dandenong Ranges.
“They now have this beautiful sculpture that is something positive for generations of kids going forward; they can sit on it and around it and lean against it,” he said.
“It is pride of place the centre of our library, so it becomes a symbol of creativity and joy and reading, and calmness and happiness.”
The construction of the library upgrades and the sculpture was officially marked with the community at a launch event on Tuesday 22 August, with Yarra Ranges Mayor Jim Child and members of the public joining the celebrations.
School council president Alanna Ford spoke at the event alongside one of the school’s captains Eva Robertson.
Mr Laurie said the students wee “really excited” to see the sculpture and get up close to touch and feel it.
“It smells amazing actually; this Mexican cypress log that’s been oiled, it’s beautiful,” he said.
“It’s been a really positive reaction from our kids and teachers and parent, and we now have this beautiful inviting calming space for our kids to use.
“It’s been perfect timing in book week for us to open it…we [had] a visiting author in there [on Thursday 24 August] using that space, and it’s much nicer than it’s ever been.”
