The Genoa District Community Group (GDCG) is working towards delivering the Genoa History Park on the Genoa school site, for which a lease has been secured from the Victorian Department of Education.
The park will be located on the Princes Highway, opposite the Genoa Community Hall.
The project will deliver light landscaping (paths, plantings, seating), a shed to house new community firefighting trailers and the existing SES trailer, a picnic shelter and updated signage.
The park will be a new destination completing the existing 4km (return) walk from the Genoa Campground.
The GDCG hope that this new community space will provide enjoyment, interest and a place of reflection for both residents and visitors, encouraging them to stop in town.
The community shed will store community firefighting trailers and equipment, improving readiness for local emergencies while also forming part of a broader community gathering place.
The picnic shelter and seating will provide a shaded place to rest, meet and enjoy the surrounding landscape and signage will share Genoa’s story as a place and community.
The landscape plan includes informal play elements such as log stump steppers and boulders that young people can explore as part of the garden.
Future plans for a formal playground, BMX bike track or similar has been allowed for by leaving a significant area of the leased land available, should community energy and funding be available.
Planting and paths are designed to create an accessible walking loop through the History Park, connecting the entry, shed, shelter and interpretation areas.
A key component of the project is heritage interpretation that shares Genoa’s stories, including resilience through the 2019–20 fires and the loss of the former school building that held many local history materials.
The signage will highlight themes such as resilience, self–reliance and grit, and will include material about Genoa’s long history, including representation of First Nations perspectives.
If you have stories, photos or other information about Genoa’s history that relates to these themes please get in touch with GDCG to share them.
The project has been funded through support from private donations, Fire to Flourish and East Gippsland Shire Council.
This project is one part of the recovery proposal put forward by the Genoa community for the school site, following the 2019/20 fires.
In August 2024 a community event was held, where stories and history were collated and shared, informing the heritage interpretation plans.
This work will be finalised over coming months. In October 2024 the draft plans were exhibited at a community event, after which feedback was actioned and the final plans confirmed.
Planning and building permits were secured through a lengthy but ultimately successful process in 2025.
Liz Filmer Landscaping, Riviera Sheds Bairnsdale, Priestly Design & Build, A1 Trailers Bairnsdale, Tequa Group, Mallacoota Concreting and Dahlsens have so far been appointed as suppliers and contractors, with local trades supporting electrical, concreting and earthwork components.
Look Ear will be supporting the interpretative experience and signage process, and Warm Corners Consulting is acting as project manager.
A single unisex septic bathroom was approved at the planning permit stage for the site, and is included in the concept plans.
However, current funding is not sufficient to construct the bathroom.
As such, the GDCG will only proceed with the bathroom component if a clear need is demonstrated, and should more community energy and funding become available.
Other future items on the original recovery proposal for the site include formal children’s play areas and BMX track.
The GDCG will maintain the site thanks to local volunteers, and the donations from the campsite that are currently used to maintain existing local community spaces in Genoa.
Once complete, the GDCG encourage you to stop in and enjoy the site, and consider volunteering or donating to the fund that helps maintain these important community resources.
More information will be available about the opening event in coming months.
