Small school has big win against high-rise development

A SMALL school in Brisbane’s inner-north has had a big win after standing up to a development that would have seen the playground hemmed in by high-rise developments.

Wooloowin State School students protesting the high rise development that was planned for next door. Picture: Elise Searson

THE future for a little school in Brisbane’s inner north was looking a bit shabby a few years back with the prospect of a high-rise development overlooking its pocket-sized playground. Wooloowin State School, which has one of the smallest land footprints of any school in the state, faced being hemmed in by high-rise developments when the State Government earmarked the adjacent Warilda Conference Centre precinct for sale to private interests.

Thankfully a small group of parents at the school stood up and lobbied for the Warilda site to be kept in public hands for the future expansion of the school.

Education Minister Grace Grace. File picture

As a matter of disclosure, your diarist’s year-long stint as president of the Wooloowin Parents and Citizens Association saw him email every State member of parliament to cancel the sale.

That pressure resulted in the land being transferred to the Education Department and the release this week of a master plan for the future use of the Warilda land for the school.

Not only does the master plan include expanded green space for the school but a future assembly hall and other facilities.

Kudos to the Education Minister Grace Grace for providing a future for a great little school.