30 April 2026
Partial win for Kilmore families, but fight continues for local secondary school
More than 20 local families have come together in Kilmore to share the real and personal impact of not having a public secondary school in their community, in a powerful meeting hosted by The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland.
The meeting heard firsthand how families are being forced to send their children to neighbouring towns, breaking friendship groups, adding pressure to already busy households, and limiting genuine school choice.
Mitchell Shire councillors Timothy Hanson, Bob Humm, Bob Cornish and Andrea Pace also attended the meeting, signalling strong, region-wide support for a public secondary school in Kilmore.
Following sustained community advocacy and the stories shared at the meeting, the Allan Labor Government has now moved to remove the rigid education zoning that had been cutting Kilmore in half.
Families are now able to choose between schools in Wallan and Broadford, rather than being confined by an arbitrary boundary that did not reflect how people live their lives.
Ms Cleeland said the change was a direct result of community pressure but warned it falls short of what Kilmore truly needs.
“This is a step in the right direction, and it belongs to the families who spoke up and shared their stories,” Ms Cleeland said.
“For too long, an arbitrary boundary has been tearing apart friendship groups and making life harder for parents and carers trying to do the right thing for their kids.”
“But let’s be clear, this does not solve the problem.”
“Kilmore is one of the largest inland communities in Victoria without access to a public secondary school, and after more than a decade of Labor, there is still no plan to fix that.”
Ms Cleeland said families at the meeting spoke about the emotional toll of children leaving their local community, as well as the broader impact on Kilmore’s growth and attractiveness for young families.
“When families are choosing where to live, access to a local school matters. Right now, Kilmore is being left behind.”
While welcoming the removal of zoning as a small win, Ms Cleeland said she would continue to advocate alongside the community for a local public secondary school.
“Our community should not have to settle for second best,” she said.
“We will keep the pressure on until Kilmore gets the public secondary school it deserves.”