A decaying South Gippsland primary school which once grabbed headlines around the world has sold for $450,000.
The 111-year-old Wooreen State School today needs a lot of work but back in 1977 it was the scene for the dramatic kidnapping of its rookie teacher and his nine students.
It was a crime which stunned the nation.
Edwin "Ted" Eastwood was an escapee from Geelong Prison and had been on the run for two months.
He was serving a long jail sentence for an equally infamous crime at another small country primary school, this time at Faraday in central Victoria.
In October 1972, Eastwood and his accomplice Robert Boland demanded a $1 million ransom to release six children and their teacher at the Faraday school.
After the teacher and students managed to escape, Eastwood was captured and jailed before escaping years later.
Then on February 14, 1977, after several months of the run and armed with a pistol, Eastwood turned up at isolated Wooreen.
Eastwood gagged and blindfolded the teacher and the pupils, chained them together and put them in his stolen truck - the students in the back, the teacher on the cabin floor.
While making his getaway, he crashed the truck and took more hostages - two loggers and four motorists.
He took all these people to his remote campsite for the night.
One of the hostages escaped and raised the alarm at a nearby farmhouse.
Eastwood bundled his remaining prisoners into a van and attempted to flee, while now being pursued by police.
MORE READING: War of words over VFF dairy demand
Gunshots were fired, one hit Eastwood in the leg and the chase was over.
Eastwood had issued a ransom demand which included weapons, drugs and cash plus the release of 17 criminals.
On November 7, 1977 Eastwood pleaded guilt to various criminal charges - including 16 counts of kidnapping and was sentenced to 21 years in jail.
After changing his name to David Jones, he was released from jail in 1993.
Opened in January 1912, the Wooreen school closed about a decade after the kidnapping.
It was sold in 1990 and was used for horse grazing and storage.
Located on the Yarragon-Leongatha Road, about 10km north-east of Leongatha, the school came onto the market last year for only the second time in its history.
Set on a large 8000 square metre block, with many established trees, the weatherboard building is today in need of the repairs its new owner is apparently planning to turn it into a country retreat.
The old school was sold by Michael Hanily of Ray White.
Don't miss out on all the latest rural property news. Sign up here to receive our free twice weekly Farmonline property newsletter.