The School That John Built - Patsy Jones

I wonder how many readers of CBCA (Tasmanian Branch) Inc. are aware that John Marsden (Tomorrow, when the war began, etc.) started a school in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria in 2006? If you want to check this out, Google ‘John Marsden Candlebark school’ and you can find out about the school, its wonderful site, its staff (John is the Principal), and its history.

Why am I writing about the school? Because it’s an example of how one’s varied interests coincide! I’m a retired librarian, the president of the Tasmanian branch of CBCA (Inc.), and a volunteer in a small library (Sustainable Living Tasmania) - you can Google too if you wish.

Today I was adding the most recent issue of the journal ReNew to our catalogue and John Marsden’s name jumped out at me from one of the pages. So of course I looked at it more closely! It was in an article about the new library at Candlebark School.

The library was funded, as were so many of our schools’ new libraries, with federal money, but what made it noteworthy for that particular journal was that the library is an underground, earth-covered building, and a ‘striking example of environmentally sustainable design’ which doubles as a ‘well-designed bushfire shelter’.

I expect it will be a while before any new school libraries are being planned, given that there have been so many built in the last few years, but in case you’re interested, see ReNew : technology for a sustainable future, Issue 119, pp. 26-28.