Listen to the Lilydale Technical School historical narrative:
Walking down Nelson Road which was named after the great sea captain Lord Nelson, is Lilydale Heights College.
In 1969 the Victorian Education Department was looking for a 6 to 8ha site to establish Lilydale’s first technical school. Officials inspected several sites and finally the 8ha site amongst paddocks of the Cooring Yering was chosen.
A co-educational technical school opened in February 1970 with 132 pupils who had to be accommodated at other schools because of a delay with the purchase of the land.
The owners of the land, Lindsay and Dianna Nicholas, refused to sell a vital part of their working family property so the government had to compulsorily acquire it. As Cooring Yering’s dairy was on the eastern boundary, one of the property’s major sources of income was lost. It was the beginning of the suburban demise of the large working farm.
By June 1970 the school opened on its new site but consisted of many portable buildings. Some subjects still had to be held at other schools due to lack of amenities.
Over the next few years new buildings replaced the portables, five new wings, a library, an amenities block and sporting facilities were all added. Lilydale Technical School’s first Principal was Mr Johnston. In 1989 the school changed its name to Lilydale Heights Secondary College and finally became Lilydale Heights College in 2004. The school motto is Excellence, Respect, Responsibility.