Thirty-eight years ago, in 1985, Haileybury secured six and a half hectares of prime land in Berwick, foreseeing a need for a school in this expanding residential area. This purchase set the stage for the establishment of Haileybury’s third campus, Haileybury Edrington.
After the acquisition of land, attention turned to creating a comprehensive complex for the Junior School in the picturesque surroundings. The first phase, completed in time for the 1989 school year, welcomed the inaugural group of students, a modest enrolment of forty-five boys. Though small by today’s standards, these numbers would have thrilled Charles Rendall, Haileybury’s founder, in 1892.
All Haileybury campuses boast unique characteristics and architectural personalities, and Berwick’s landscape is no exception to the rule. Among the trees and greenery, earthy brick structures with terracotta tiles, featuring distinctive timber trusses and spacious cathedral ceilings in classrooms, evoke feelings of warmth, security, and a sense of connection to nature.
As the 1990s began, Berwick’s enrolment grew to 121 boys, with plans for secondary education to be offered due to demand. Early in this new decade a number of construction projects took place, rapidly expanding the School facilities to include playing fields, courts, science and visual arts buildings, and additional classrooms.
By 1992, Berwick stood on the southeastern outskirts of Melbourne, reminiscent of the position Brighton Beach held when Haileybury College was established in 1892.
John Twist, the inaugural Headmaster of Edrington, affectionately dubbed the Baron of Berwick at the time, once described the campus’s persona as one of profound belonging, a standout structure in beautiful surroundings. Despite the campus’s evolution and the burgeoning sense of community it fostered, John astutely acknowledged the prevalent challenges. “Parents, at that time, were paying full Haileybury fees for fewer facilities,” he noted. Nonetheless, it stood as a testament to the Haileybury name, and the relationships John had forged with the local community.
Eventually, an additional 20 hectares of land surrounding the existing property were acquired, taking the total campus size to nearly 27 hectares. This expansion opened new avenues for the construction of buildings, playing fields, and eventually a large auditorium named after John Twist himself.
Gary Shiell, an integral member of the Berwick staff for 34 of the past 35 years, has been a firsthand witness of the campus’s transformation. Initially serving as a teacher in Mathematics, Science and Geography, for a time Gary also shouldered the responsibility of overseeing IT infrastructure on campus. He fondly remembers the era when students would venture across the street for Physical Education classes before the campus had the grounds it has today.
Reflecting on the community, Gary attributed its origins to John Twist. “He knew lots of people in the area and started the community spirit,” Gary remarked. It was well established by John in 1989 that community-minded mentality was going to be the way forward for Berwick, and it has stayed that way for over three decades.
Along with the changing grounds, the Head of Campus role has also changed hands many times over the years, including to the likes of the late Peter Bennett, John Fleming and Kristy Kendall and more recently, Jeanette Rawlings who is marking her eighth year in the role.
Today, the campus has just shy of 1,000 students.