Ms Cooper is circulating a petition, which has now amassed more than 800 signatures.
It calls for the Victorian Government to stop the sale of Dhurringile Prison and instead reopen it as a rehabilitation, farming and skills training facility.
The campaign is supported by community members, former Dhurringile Prison staff, local residents, and supporters of rehabilitation-focused corrections policy.
Advocates say the facility represents a rare opportunity to combine rehabilitation, vocational training, agriculture, and structured work programs that support reduced reoffending and stronger community reintegration.
They also argue it would protect regional jobs and economic activity linked to the site, and called for investment in evidence-based rehabilitation programs that improve community safety.
Ms Cooper said Dhurringile has historically provided structured opportunities for prisoners to gain practical skills and experience in a rural setting, contributing to rehabilitation outcomes and smoother reintegration into society.
She said the rapid public response reflects strong community concern about the future of the site.
“At least 1000 people have signed the petition in just three days.
“That level of response shows this is an issue people care deeply about.
“This is not just about a building - it’s about rehabilitation, opportunity, and better outcomes for the community.”
Dhurringile Prison was closed in August 2024 despite having a unique and already-established infrastructure that includes farmland, agricultural facilities, workshops, and training spaces designed to help prisoners gain real job skills and prepare for employment after release.
The site was first established as a pastoral property, before becoming an internment camp, then a boys’ home before it was purchased by the government and converted into a minimum-security correctional facility, Dhurringile Prison, in 1965.
Since its closure, the site has reportedly cost Victorian taxpayers millions of dollars in maintenance, while generating no income.
State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland says the prison’s closure was decided “without meaningful consultation with the community”, and “ripped millions of dollars from the local economy”.
And she said the government had rejected calls to recommission the prison, despite the state’s “soaring incarceration rates and growing pressure on prison capacity”.
The government placed an indicative sale figure of $2.5 million on the historic site soon after decommissioning was complete.
Expressions of interest were submitted by Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, who have reported there has been no response after almost a year.
A government spokesperson told Shepparton News in April that if a sale did not occur from the first right of refusal process, the site would progress to a public sale.
If you would like to help save the prison site from being sold off, you can sign Ms Cooper’s petition at https://c.org/m8kyZH2ZxH.
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