The iconic Warragul Train Station Tea Rooms have been given a new lease of life with a million dollar makeover.

Built in 1918, the Heritage-listed Tea Rooms had been hidden behind locked doors for over a decade. GippsTAFE commenced the careful refurbishment of the historic buildings in mid-2009, with the project being funded by the Australian Government through the Teaching and Learning Capital Fund (TLCF) for Vocational Education and Training (VET).

The official opening ceremony on the 12th of November 2010 saw the unveiling of the new facility.

The Tea Rooms now house new offices, staff amenities, conference and board rooms, as well as maintaining a number of heritage features of the building, including high ceilings, leadlight windows and, of course, the spectacular ballroom.

GippsTAFE Chief Executive, Dr. Peter Whitley, said that the refurbishment of the Tea Rooms was a sign of growth and demand for vocational training in West Gippsland.

“This project was part of an overall strategy for developing the presence of GippsTAFE in Warragul,” Dr. Whitley explained. “In addition to the Tea Rooms refurbishment, GippsTAFE has also constructed a new car park to support the rising number of students attending classes at the campus.

“Over the next few years, we will see the development of new buildings, which will allow the Institute to further increase the number and range of courses on offer to the local community and industry.”

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