Little Yarra Steiner School is co-educational and based on Christian spiritual principles as given by the Austrian philosopher and educationalist Dr. Rudolf Steiner. By these principles teachers strive in freedom to create the physical and educational environment that can best help the incarnating child to develop such qualities of will, feeling, and thought as will lead them to fulfill their earthly destiny with dignity and confidence. The location for Little Yarra Steiner School began with a gift: in 1986, while the school’s first Kindergarten and Prep group were getting underway in temporary premises in Wesburn, local farmer, Alan Earle, agreed to have the school built on his property along the Little Yarra River.
When Alan’s land proved too flood-prone for major building development, he gave his land to be sold so that a more suitable property could be bought for the school. Alan’s gift enabled the purchase of the current property and the school in 1989 was able to move from a small Public Hall to its new home, a beautiful 60-acre block, also along the Little Yarra River, two kilometers south of the center of Yarra Junction.
The beauty, central location, and generous size of the property, which was more than what was needed for the school, gave rise to an initial broader long term vision which included a bio-dynamic farm and other cultural initiatives such as a performing arts center, recording studio, artisans workshops, adult education facilities and similar ventures complementary to the school and forming part of a larger spiritually and culturally inspired center arising over time within a supportive community.
Since moving to Little Yarra Road with a handful of children in 1989, the school has grown to over 300 students, ranging from Kindergarten through to class 12. With the inception of the first class 12 in 2004, the school has been able to offer an exciting program that embraces Steiner’s indications within the framework of the VCE, as well as an optional Class 12 project successfully pioneered within the Steiner School movement overseas and in Australia.
With the consolidation of the primary and completion of the secondary school, the magnitude of Alan Earle’s generous gift can now be seen and appreciated as it continues to bear fruit.
