Kym & Faye are your hosts at Jacob’s Well Retreat. They live on site and will welcome you and ensure your stay is comfortable.
History
Jacob’s Well Retreat has an interesting history as it has been built on the site of the first “Consolidated” school in Victoria.
In 1944 the government at the time made the decision to move all the district’s little “one-room” schools out of the scrub and into one central location in Murrayville.
Names such as “Manya”, “Rusbridge” & “Manya North” are still on some of the buildings, giving a hint to their past.
In 1974 when a new High School was built nearby the school became a Primary School and remained so until 1994 when provision was made for primary students at the High School site.
Kym purchased the site in 2001 and it has been a very full and interesting journey to bring it to what it is today.
The grounds and gardens have evolved through the years but many icons of the old school days remain, including the big Southern Cross windmill, the orchard, garden shed, the old school bell, large Aleppo pines, the popular loquat tree (past students still ask if they can pick some if in season), the huge Carob tree which now shades our chook house and even the old maypole still stands out front of the accommodation building.
Kym & Faye have aimed to blend the character of the old school with the contemporary things of today. The accommodation wing has 5 roomy units, a self-catering kitchen and dining area that have been beautifully renovated making it hard for you to realise they were once busy, noisy classrooms. The lovely Tassie Oak school room floors remain as a fitting reminder.
Enquiries
Bare Foot Ministries:
As well as accommodation, Jacob’s Well Retreat is the home of Barefoot Ministries, a Christian ministry active locally and internationally through its support of overseas missions. For more information about Barefoot Ministries please visit our website or our Facebook page