By Gladys Barreta
A sod-turning ceremony for a new Catholic educational facility being built in Thornhill Park has marked an exciting milestone for the wider community.
The St Padre Pio Catholic Primary School and Children’s Hub are set to open to families in February 2026 with construction underway.
The ceremony on Friday, February 28, 2025 was attended by Local MP Steve McGhie, Major Steve Abboushi, Parliamentary Secretary for Children Nathan Lambert, along with Melton Shire Catholic School Principals, architects, and builders.
Father Alex led a special blessing of the land and soil, and the generous funding support from the Victorian Government was recognised and celebrated.
Founding Principal Daniel Bermingham said St Padre Pio is unique and exciting for both Melton Shire and the Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools as it is the first school in Australia to bear the name of St Padre Pio, and together with St Marianne Cope in Mt Atkinson, will be the first combined Catholic Primary School and Children’s Hub to be built on the same site.
“This will truly be a learning place of difference and a landmark project for the Archdiocese,” Mr Bermingham said.
“I am honoured and privileged to be the Founding Principal. To have the opportunity to work with an empty canvas and to develop the story of St Padre Pio from the ground up will be such a rewarding experience for the community, myself, and all involved.”
Stage 1 of the St Padre Pio Catholic Primary School & Children’s Hub will include nine classrooms, a STEM space, full administration and staff areas, three spaces for 3- and 4-year-old early learning, a designated before-and after-school care area, basketball courts, a full car park and extensive landscaping.
Future stages of the build will include additional classrooms and specialist spaces, an indoor gymnasium and arts centre, further play spaces, outdoor learning facilities, and a fully synthetic oval.
Enrolment interest for both St Padre Pio Catholic Primary School and St Padre Pio Children’s Hub will be opening soon, with information shared via developing websites and social media platforms.
