The historic Old Menangle School is set to begin a new chapter after Wollondilly Shire Council approved a lease for the building to Disability South West, a service supporting young people with disabilities and their families across Wollondilly, Macarthur and south-west Sydney.
While the heritage schoolhouse itself will be leased, the surrounding park, playground, community garden and barbecue facilities will remain fully open to the public, ensuring the popular local space continues to serve the whole community.
The move marks a return to education for the historic building, which sits beside a leafy parkland near Menangle railway station and was recently upgraded.
Welcoming the new tenant, Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould said the partnership reflects shared values around community inclusion.
“I’d like to welcome Disability South West to the Menangle Old School and congratulate them on the lease agreement,” he said.
“Disability South West shares Council’s commitment to an inclusive, connected and sustainable community.”
Under the plan, the site will become a community hub for disability inclusion and learning under the NDIS, with participants developing everyday skills including cooking, gardening, exercise, nutrition and travel training.
Gould added the program would also encourage community participation.
“Participants will learn life skills such as cooking, gardening, exercise and nutrition, as well as travel training, making use of the nearby train station,” he said.
“They will also take part in community engagement projects and Council events… helping to build independence.”
Council will also invest further in the surrounding community space by partially enclosing the outdoor barbecue and sink area to improve all-weather access.
The organisation is expected to move in once Station Street road works are completed and the nearby Menangle School of Arts Hall reopens.
Minor accessibility adjustments will be made, while the building’s historic “schoolhouse charm” will remain intact.
