TAKE ACTION!
Save Orange Grove is a Community Action Group.
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Our common goal is to safeguard the much-loved OGPS green open space against ill-considered, secretive and fast-tracked development by NSW School Infrastructure.
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Save Orange Grove is focussed on a consultative approach for the proposed expansion of Orange Grove Public School, that is the interests of the OGPS and local communities and stakeholders. Our common goal is for a masterplan that retains the existing green space with its mature trees in its entirety and delivers exceptional outcomes for all stakeholders, but most importantly for the students.
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Please note that all masterplans displayed on this webpage were commissioned during the Liberal Government. We welcome our new Labor government and would like to place trust in Labor's election promise to save the Greenspace and go back to the drawing board. However, we have come to realise that the old guard of School Infrastructure continues to rule the ranks with intransparent planning methods and lack of genuine community participation. We therefore ask the community to KEEP FIGHTING!
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Write to the Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue Car MP
Online form: https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/ministers/deputy-premier
Letter: The Hon. Prue Car, MP, Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000. Ph: 7225 6010
Email: londonderry@parliament.nsw.gov.au
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You can use our proforma letter below and modify it to reflect your personal concerns.
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Write to your local Member of Parliament, Ms Kobi Shetty MP:
Ms Kobi Shetty MP
Shops 1 & 2
201-205 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe
Ph: (02) 9660 7586
Email: kobi@kobishetty.org.au
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Write to the Department of Infrastructure, Community Engagement Team (typical outcome: no answer or an answer of generic nature)
Email: schoolinfrastructure@det.nsw.edu.au
Letter: Level 8, 259 George St, Sydney NSW 2000. Ph: 1300 482 6510
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Copy your Local Member Kobi Shetty MP into your correspondence with authorities for records of community opposition.
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Write to our Mayor and Deputy Mayor, your local Labor politicians
Mayor Darcy Byrne
Email: Darcy.Byrne@innerwest.nsw.gov.au
Deputy Mayor Mat Howard
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You can also write to your local Councillor
If you live in Balmain /Lilyfield (Baludarri Ward)
Mayor Darcy Byrne (Labor), see above
Ismet Tastan (Greens), Email: Ismet.Tastan@innerwest.nsw.gov.au
Kerrie Furgusson (Labour)
Email: jKerrie.Fergusson@innerwest.nsw.gov.au
If you live in Leichhardt Gulgadya Ward):
Andrew Blake (Greens)
Email: Andrew.Blake@innerwest.nsw.gov.au
Philippa Scott (Labor)
Email: Philippa.Scott@innerwest.nsw.gov.au
Vittoria Raciti (Liberals)
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Join us on Facebook (private group):
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New public Facebook page:
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Put up a core flute as a sign of protest (write us an email to request one)
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Join the Orange Grove P&C ($3 annual membership fee) and express your concerns at school level in monthly P&C meetings: https://www.stickytickets.com.au/thpjp/pc_membership_2025.aspx
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Add your name to our signature list (now closed):
https://www.gopetition.com/signatures/save-orange-groves-green-space.html?page=2
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Look out for upcoming community protest action or media releases.
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Write to us with your concerns.
Email: saveorangegrove@gmail.com
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Stay informed about the proposal and upcoming activities.
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Previous action, now closed: Donations to Save Orange Grove community action to help our volunteer organisation with coreflutes and flyers.
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Previous action, now closed: our SAVE SCUBA petition which aimed at reinstating our much-loved Sustainability Coordinator, but remained unsuccessful: https://www.change.org/p/every-school-needs-a-scuba
Proforma letter
Write to:
Write to the Deputy Minister, Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue Car MP
Copy proforma letter text into
Online form: https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/ministers/deputy-premier
Letter: The Hon. Prue Car, Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
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OR:
Email: londonderry@parliament.nsw.gov.au
cc: schoolinfrastructure@det.nsw.edu.au
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Send a copy of your letter to our local member :
The Hon Kobi Shetty MP
Shops 1 & 2
201-205 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe
Ph: (02) 9660 7586
Email: kobi@kobishetty.org.au
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The Hon Prue Car MP
Minister for Education and Early Learning
londonderry@parliament.nsw.gov.au
cc schoolinfrastructure@det.nsw.edu.au
Dear Minister
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RE: ORANGE GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOL
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I refer to the upgrade of this school and in particular the amended masterplan prepared by Schools Infrastructure in August 2023 and a subsequent alternative masterplan prepared by a group of parents and citizens and unanimously endorsed by the P&C at a well-attended meeting on 4 September 2023.
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As you are aware there has been considerable unrest at the school for more than a year since the school community became aware of the advanced planning that had been underway for five years to upgrade the school. The community is fully supportive of an upgrade. However it believes this can, and must, be done without building over the highly valued green space at the west end of the school. This land was acquired in 1913 and further expanded in 1971 (when the government acquired and demolished six houses) specifically to create more open space for this inner city school. The foresight shown in acquiring this land MUST NOT be sacrificed at a time when open space for children, and the retention of tree canopy, is more critical than ever.
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The proposal endorsed by the P&C builds on the work of Schools Infrastructure However with some relatively modest adjustments it retains all of the most precious open space. It has the benefits of:
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Retaining all the existing open space and trees at the western end of the school whilst maintaining all the same facilities in the latest Schools Infrastructure masterplan;
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Enhancing the Perry Street frontage of the school with three new and complementary buildings - one more than in the Schools Infrastructure proposal;
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Places the more public functions (hall and administration) close to the Perry Street frontage;
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Identifies several spaces for future growth without the need to intrude on the open green space at the western end.
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Prior to the last election Labor made clear commitments to the community to review the proposal, protect the green space from development and to do so in consultation with the community. The community expects these commitments to be upheld.
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I believe we now have an eminently sensible and exciting proposal that satisfies all parties and urge you to instruct Schools Infrastructure to engage appropriately with the school community to advance it.
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Yours sincerely
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