Building Richmond Hill Together

Our partnership with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) commenced in 2019, shortly after MITS opened its first small home on Wellington Street, Kew — accommodating six alumni girls attending Year 8 at partner schools in Melbourne.

Following this success, MITS secured funding to expand its accommodation offering and support a growing number of students from remote and regional communities.

Upon meeting the MITS team, the Kane team immediately recognised a shared alignment in values and vision. From there, the partnership grew through genuine collaboration and shared purpose.

Guided by a common focus on culture, community, and opportunity, our work with MITS has evolved through a deeply connected and consultative process — from early design conversations to the construction of four transformative spaces on Richmond Hill.

Every project is shaped by MITS’s vision to create environments where students can learn, live, and thrive while maintaining strong links to culture and Country. More than the delivery of buildings, this partnership unites the expertise of Kane’s project teams with the insight of the MITS community to craft spaces that feel safe, welcoming, and purposeful.

Kane is proud to continue its partnership with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS), helping create spaces that provide opportunity, community, and connection for young Indigenous students.

As MITS plans for future growth and new facilities, we invite members of the Kane community — subcontractors, consultants, and project partners — to be part of the journey. Your skills, expertise, and generosity can play an important role in supporting the next stage of MITS’s development on Richmond Hill.

If you’re interested in contributing to this meaningful initiative, we welcome you to submit an Expression of Interest to be considered for involvement in upcoming MITS projects. Together, we can continue to build environments that empower Indigenous students to live, learn, and thrive.

Across Richmond Hill in Melbourne Victoria, Kane has worked with MITS to build a cohesive network of educational and residential spaces for their community. Each project has been thoughtfully delivered to strengthen community connection and provide environments that support learning, wellbeing, and cultural identity.

Through close collaboration with MITS and McIldowie Partners, these projects form an integrated campus that brings students, teachers, and mentors together — creating a place where young Indigenous students can feel at home while pursuing their education in Melbourne.

Delivered in 2025, the Education Centre at 283 Church Street, Richmond, marks the latest chapter in Kane’s partnership with MITS.

This project transformed the ground floor of a former medical centre into a welcoming and contemporary education facility, featuring classrooms, focus rooms, staff areas, and a reception to support Year 7 and 8 students as they begin their MITS journey.

Located just a few hundred metres from the boarding precinct, the new centre allows students to learn and live within a close-knit community on Richmond Hill.

The fitout delivers a safe, functional, and culturally connected environment that reflects MITS’s values of opportunity, connection, and community, while supporting its future redevelopment plans at Punt Road.

Delivered in 2023, the flagship boarding house at 371 Church Street provides a contemporary and culturally sensitive home for MITS students during their first years in Melbourne.

Constructed by Kane, the facility features modern accommodation, communal living areas, and outdoor spaces that promote independence, connection, and cultural expression. As the first MITS property built from the ground up, it stands as a cornerstone of the Richmond Hill campus — a place where students can build friendships, share experiences, and grow in confidence within a supportive environment.

In the same year, MITS expanded its transition school to include Year 8, offering a two-year (Years 7–8) learning and boarding program. The new Senior Boarding House at 371 Church Street completed a connected community of up to 100 young people pursuing education in Melbourne while living together across MITS’s four boarding houses on Richmond Hill.

Delivered in 2022, the boarding house at 364 Church Street saw Kane transform a 130-year-old double-storey Victorian terrace into modern residential accommodation for young Indigenous students.

The project became MITS’s second senior boarding house on Richmond Hill, providing an additional 20 beds to support MITS alumni as they continue their education in Melbourne. The facility allows students to remain part of a connected and supportive community while developing independence and pursuing their studies.

By mid-2022, more than 60 young people were living together on Richmond Hill across MITS’s growing network of learning and living spaces.

Delivered in 2021, the boarding house at 139 Richmond Terrace was Kane’s first project with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS), marking the beginning of a long-term partnership built on shared purpose and collaboration.

Delivered in partnership with arete Australia, the project transformed an existing church building into a three-level residential facility featuring 18 bedrooms and communal living spaces. Located just 80 metres from the Year 7 Boarding House, the residence was designed to provide a safe, supportive, and culturally connected home for young Indigenous women studying in Melbourne.

Completed through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while MITS temporarily relocated operations to Darwin, the project ensured that students returning to Melbourne were welcomed into a space that felt safe, familiar, and a true home away from home.

This first build laid the foundation for Kane and arete’s ongoing partnership with MITS — creating environments that celebrate community, independence, and cultural identity while supporting MITS’s mission to provide pathways to opportunity for Indigenous students from remote and regional communities.

Video content has been beautifully captured by Fancy Films, with thanks to Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) for sharing their incredible stories across each project.