The school, to be built at the former Ferntree Gully College site, will eventually replace the Irabina Special Development School Autism in Wantirna, which only caters for primary school-aged children.

The Ferntree Gully school will be built in stages, the government committing $8million from the budget to get the project under way.

The announcement is the culmination of years of lobbying by the ASD Secondary School Action Group and Eastern Metropolitan Region MP Shaun Leane.

The government spent $600,000 on a feasibility study and in February the college site was named as the preferred location.

"Myself and many parents of autistic children have lobbied hard for this school to be built and I thank the education minister and the treasurer," Mr Leane said'

Rowville's Louise Anderson, who along with Cathy Hammond founded the group, said the school would give children with autism, such as her 10-year-old son, more freedom and independence. She said she was "ecstatic" when she found out the funding had come through.

"I am thrilled that they have listened; it will help us move forward with the secondary education of our children.

"This will make our kids more independent.

"It will make life better for them, their families and the communities they live in."