Tales from a Hurlstone Agricultural High School Escapee

This page is dedicated to my old High School, Hurlstone Agricultural High School. It has a proud 100 year history of teaching agriculture - among other traditional and new-vogue subjects - to boarders and day students from across New South Wales and Australia. I've collected links to as many places I know of which also contain Hurlstone information, including the very mobile official site.

I was a student at Hurlstone between 1983 and 1988, and don't seem to have got over my joy of writing and editing the school newspaper, Harvester, while I was there (yes, it did inform my foray into Full-time Journalism). I continue post my thoughts and opinions as Hurlstone steps onto the public stage from time to time.

The (In)Famous Thread That Won't Go Away was sparked by this 2004 rant about the hate sites that sprang up about that time. The comments continue to flow in.

The Latest on Hurlstone

The Hurlstone Debate Featured on Landline
(David: April 28, 2009 11:11 PM)

For a good overview of the Hurlstone Saga, ABC's Landline sent some cameras out to the school. Sean Murphy has more.

Most sides of the argument are represented, with only one - the Government's - in support of the proposal to sell Hurlstone's farm for housing.

(from: Hurlstone)
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The more we learn about machinations behind the NSW Government's intentions to sell off Hurlstone Agricultural High School, the sillier it looks. Alan Jones summarises the insanity on his show this morning, with fellow SHEAPer, David Moore.

The Sydney Morning Herald and ABC also show up the sneakiness behind the decision - although it's likely the government is softening us up to sell 'more like 50' hectares of Hurlstone (we suspected as much when it was announced). Gotta haggle.

The SHEAP Website receives a new lease of life today, hot on the heels of today's Parliamentary Forum. Join it, or Facebook, to keep in touch with the latest.

(from: Hurlstone)
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The School was the first agricultural high school established in Australia and the first in NSW to accommodate boarders. The current site for the school was established in the 1926 and has been responsible for fostering and developing a unique and scientific approach to managing Australia's rural enterprises. Hurlstone Agricultural High School has been assessed as being of high local significance.

Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia in the Environmental Assessment for the (now-delayed) South West Rail Link in 2006

An independent view from the people the government listened to when setting up the SWRL project, which has been delayed by the mini-budget.

(from: Hurlstone)
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For all those (including myself) who need to know a little more about the land that is being discussed, I've put together a map that can be used in Google Maps (in your browser) or Google Earth (if you have installed the software).

It shows some detail of Hurlstone, and some of the other schools that are being mentioned in the media, on the web and in Parliament.

Click here for the maps: see it with your own eyes.

(from: Hurlstone)
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Investment by governments and international partnerships in research and development is another key part of the productivity equation.
Today, we have improved technology; better farming practices, plant breeding and food distribution systems
But we are constrained by limited available agricultural land and shrinking water resources.
Governments must refocus on investment in agricultural research and development to boost productivity within the constraints of land and resource availability.

The Hon. Tony Burke MP - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, speaking to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Nov 19, 2008

Commentary from the Federal Government regarding the need to invest in agricultural R and D.

(from: Hurlstone)
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The follow quotes are from a meeting of the GENERAL PURPOSE STANDING COMMITTEE No. 2: "Examination of proposed expenditure for the portfolio area: EDUCATION AND TRAINING" of Wednesday 19 November 2008. The full transcript is available on the 'Save Hurlstone' FaceBook group.

They are attributed to Mr M. Coutts-Trotter, Director General, Department of Education and Training

...we are going to have a look to see whether some of that site, potentially up to 140 hectares of that site, could be sold, but that is a process that is going to take quite some planning and quite some consultation first and foremost with the school community.

...Obviously there is a history and tradition at Hurlstone that we have to consider and respect, but there are other students and other schools in the southwest of Sydney that are looking for other opportunities - Casula, James Meehan and other schools. If we can find a way that respects and supports the quality of what happens at Hurlstone Agricultural High School but we can also free up many millions of dollars for reinvestment in other public schools as a starting point, I think that is a fair and appropriate thing to do

Q: What if the community said they did not want to sell it, they want to keep it? Your consultation with the community almost presumes that you are going to sell it anyway.
Mr COUTTS-TROTTER: Consultation with the community starts from the starting point that we would like to sell some of the site because it is simply so enormous. It now sits on very valuable land.
Q: It is really about the value of the land?
Mr COUTTS-TROTTER: In part, of course. It is about the value of the land to generate money that can be reinvested in other schools in western and south-western Sydney and other parts of the State.

...I think the fact that the farm runs at a loss is a correct statement, but the indication that that is the reason why we are looking at Hurlstone Agricultural High School as a potential site for some asset sales would be wrong. The reason we are looking at it is we have a chance here to release money for reinvestment in public schools.

Q: Of the 160 hectares at Hurlstone Agricultural High School, how much land are you looking at selling, or have you not made a decision about that?
Mr COUTTS-TROTTER: We have not made a decision. We need to go through a very detailed process of consultation and planning. It is a 160-hectare site. I think the school buildings occupy more than 20 hectares. Obviously there is the issue that has arisen about the memorial forest. I understand the Premier has given a commitment that the memorial forest certainly would not be considered for sale. That just indicates that with a site of that size, we will have to go through a very detailed process of planning and consideration, and that will happen over the next two months.

My main takeaway-from this: during exams and marking, and over the holidays, the school community will be consulted not about if, but how much of the land will be sold.

(from: Hurlstone)
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Everyone loves a sequel :-) Now that the issue of the selling off of Hurlstone's Memorial Forest has been taken off the table, there's a need for a new group to fight the good fight against the original decision to sell off Hurlstone's Land.

The 'real world' group is meeting this weekend, and a website is coming soon, but if you're a supporter and would like to join the fight to save *all* of Hurlstone, join the new 'Save Hurlstone' Facebook group and check the 'Events' section.

(from: Hurlstone)
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NSW's Premier, Nathan Rees, talking to Alan Jones on Radio 2GB on Nov 19:

Rees: The bit of land we're talking about, Hurlstone Agricultural High School, is the size of 10 ANZ stadiums put together, it's 160 hectares.
...
Jones: But how can you have an agricultural high school if you cut out most of the land that they need to service the school?
Rees: Well, we'll take advice from the department on that. The college remains an agricultural college and we'll make sure that that's accommodated.

Summary of Current Argument: Hurlstone is too big; it can be smaller and still teach agriculture.

(from: Hurlstone)
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NSW's Premier, Nathan Rees, talking on Radio 2GB on Nov 19:

I spoke with Minister Firth yesterday, and the memorial forest will be staying with the school.

This should remove the Memorial Forest issue from the table so that debate can now focus on the selling of the farmland.

(from: Hurlstone)
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Hurlstone's local MP, Dr Andrew McDonald, quoted in the Macarthur Chronicle of Nov 18:

"Sydney is projected to have six million residents by 2020 and this is part of the urban sprawl in Sydney and especially the south west of the area.... The question for Glenfield residents will be how viable a 140ha dairy farm is in the middle of an urban area."

Has anyone asked Glenfield people their opinions on 'urban sprawl'?

(from: Hurlstone)
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More entries about Hurlstone are here..