A heritage listed school in rural Victoria which was notorious for a harrowing student and teacher kidnapping in the 1970s, has hit the market as a beautifully restored home.

Just over 50 years ago, the circa 1869 Faraday School, was the scene of a dramatic kidnapping where a teacher and six students were abducted and imprisoned in a van in bushland.

The old school has a colourful past. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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The kidnapper demanded the Victorian Government pay a $1 million dollar ransom for their release, and the Minister of Education offered himself as hostage in return for the hostages’ safe release, the Heritage Council of Victoria’s statement of significance noted.

A newspaper clipping from The Canberra Times dated Monday 9 October, 1972. Picture: Trove, National Library of Australia

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The teacher managed to escape and the children were safe but the school closed the same year when the parents of the kidnapped children refused to allow them to attend the school again.

Five decades later, the now home at 1 Faraday School Road, Victoria, some 116km north west of Melbourne, has been painstakingly restored into a two bedroom, two bathroom home, with a new kitchen, diving and lining area.

“It’s a well-preserved historical building," selling agent Nick Haslam from Cantwell Property Castlemaine said.

Tastefully renovated with a modern kitchen and open plan layout. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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The property has several buildings. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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"The other parts that are on offer are not heritage listed - the other bedroom part with the bathroom was added on in the ‘80s in a similar style made out of granite,

“School conversions are not particularly common, you’re more likely to get church versions in this area," he added.

Set on 8498 sqm, the property also includes a second 1980s granite building with a bedroom, bathroom and high vaulted timber ceilings, as well as a third self-contained cottage.

The tiny school was closed in the 1970s. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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The school, which officially closed in 1976, has been described by the Heritage Council of Victoria as “important as a heritage place for its ability to demonstrate the spread of education in the 1860s and 1870s to all parts of the state.”

The property has a sale price of $795,000.

It's one of several old schools to hit the market that rival the ever-popular charm of church conversions.

Refurbished with plenty of potential

In central Victoria, an old school building from yesteryear that has been restored and reimagined for a new residential existence is 30 Raglan Street, Newbridge.

Affordable red brick heritage buildings can be rare to find. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Formerly, the Newbridge School circa 1866, the 157-year-old red brick school has been given a new lease of life as a four bedroom, two bathroom home, although it still offers plenty of potential for someone looking to add their own stamp.

The recently refurbished kitchen overlooks grassy paddocks. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Sales agent Greg Fathers from Property Plus said the school ceased operating sometime in the late 1960s, and would suit a buyer seeking a tree change close to a regional centre.

“The actual school itself is very original – it’s still got where you hang up your bag when you come into the classroom,” he said.

Still offering plenty of potential with the old blackboards remaining on the walls. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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A cricket pitch, blackboards and a dome concrete rainwater well are hallmarks from the property’s heyday that remain.

The property, set on a sprawling 1.01ha site, has an asking price of $775,000 - $795,000.

Stunning conversion with nothing to do

Home to a maximum of 15 students in its prime, 686 Bellangry Rd, Mortons Creek, was built in 1907 as the Mortons Creek School as per a request from local farming families.

Buyers will get the fully renovated original school house and adjoining home. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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It operated as a school from 1926 until 1973.

“The teachers who used to come, or the teacher that would come to the school, would have to board with local families although one teacher pitched their tent in the grounds and lived in a tent,” selling agent Nick Slater from Slater and Slater Real Estate said.

“And it was not unusual for part of the grounds to be set aside for the kids to be able to tie up their horses because they'd arrive on horseback and attend the school.”

Set on a two acre parcel surrounded by mature trees. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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The current vendors have owned the vast 8064sqm landholding for two years, and in that time they have extensively renovated both homes on the property.

This includes new locally-milled hardwood verandas, new roofing, flooring and painting.

The old school building as been restored while maintaining its original charm. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Mr Slater said old school blocks in the town were characterised by their enormous grounds, and typically had a signature mulberry tree, and this property was no exception with an almost 100 year old tree.

“The real kind of attraction is to be able to own just two acres in a rural location, where the minimum block size, if you were to subdivide in this location would probably be 250 acres,” he said.

Two for the price of one

This sprawling Tasmanian property at 19086 Bass Highway, Rocky Cape includes both the former Rocky Cape State School and the old Rocky Cape General Store, which have both been extensively restored by owners Alex Gillam and Liam Garment.

The old school hall has been extensively renovated and includes a mezzanine level. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Buyers get both the old school and general store. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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The school, which operated from 1880 to 1953, has all new windows, roofing, electrical work and flooring in renovation works on the property that cost some $600,000.

“We have actually converted the house into two, so the old teacher’s residence we currently run as an Airbnb and that’s a two bedroom, two bathroom with a private backyard,” Mr Garment said.

The property offers income potential with a second residence. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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“And the old school, that used to have like 20 foot ceilings, we've actually put a mezzanine level in there so we’ve converted that into a two storey, three bedroom house with a kitchen and a bathroom and we live there.”

Open plan living, dining and kitchen. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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A mezzanine level has been added into the 20ft hall. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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The property has an asking price of $1.25 million.