Arsonists have set fire to a school building near the historic Rupertswood Mansion, birthplace of The Ashes.
Fire crews were called to Salesian College in Sunbury at 6.52am on Sunday morning after fire broke out in the school’s administration building.
More than 40 firefighters from the Country Fire Authority and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade together fought to contain the blaze to two rooms.
CFA spokesman Craig Musselwaite said the rest of the building sustained “extensive smoke and heat damage”.
Police believe the fire was deliberately lit.
A school bus was also set alight and completely destroyed in the blaze.
Salesian College, a co-educational Catholic secondary school, sits on the grounds of the Rupertswood Mansion estate in Macedon Street.
The mansion is famous for being where The Ashes urn was first presented to English cricket captain Ivo Bligh after his victory over Australia during the 1882-83 tour.
