Education Department says no plans for Gracemere High before 2046

A renewed campaign for a high school to be built in fast-growing Gracemere is underway this state election year but the Labor Government has already cast a shadow over the fresh push. LATEST.

Gracemere parents Cindy O'Brien, Sarah Summerell and Jessica Lahrs want to see a high school built at Gracemere by 2028 on a lot of land already owned by the Education Department on the corner of Johnston Road and Lucas Street.

A recent refresh call from a Central Queensland community for a high school to built in their area has, so far, fallen on deaf ears.

Parents joined former Rockhampton Mayor and current independent candidate for Rockhampton’s state seat, Margaret Strelow, on April 4, calling on the State Government and Opposition to commit to building a school at Gracemere by 2028.

Overcrowded buses, high student to teacher ratios in classrooms, bullying and the overstimulating of children before they even get to a classroom are just some of the issues raised by parents calling for a high school at Gracemere.

The community has been pushing for its own high school for almost 30 years, during which time a 3000 signature petition was presented to parliament, and two campaigns for new high schools in Central Queensland were run with Calliope, which has a third of Gracemere’s population, won.

Mr Strelow said the later was a political decision, rather than a numbers based one.

Independent candidate for Rockhampton Margaret Strelow has issued a call to the State Government and Opposition to get a high school built at Gracemere by 2028 on a lot of land already owned by the Education Department on the corner of Johnston Road and Lucas Street.

She said she and the community now called for “a common sense, numbers driven, commitment”.

“We’ve gone beyond the stage of begging,” Mrs Strelow said.

“It has reached the point where both the government and the Opposition need to explain to the Gracemere community why they still haven’t got their long promised high school.”

The Morning Bulletin contacted Education Minister Di Farmer for comment and received a response from the Department of Education.

A department spokesperson said the department did not currently have plans to open a new state secondary school in Gracemere based on state secondary student population of Gracemere projected to grow to only about 800 students by 2046 and the threshold for the department was “a stable enrolment of 1500 to 1800 students to ensure the school can deliver a broad, modern curriculum”.

“It is also important to ensure that sufficient enrolments are retained in existing schools in the local network upon the opening of a new school,” the spokesperson said.

They said ongoing analysis to inform demand and new schools planning through the Queensland Schools Planning Reference Committee.

Meanwhile, the Labor Party candidate for the Rockhampton seat is neither for nor against a high school by 2028, but rather has a different plan to the department to determine the education needs in the region.

Craig Marshall. Picture: Aden Stokes

“There has been a great deal of discussion over many years on the need for a state high school at Gracemere,” he said.

“I have established a working group with stakeholders to look to the future to ensure our community has first-class educational opportunities for our kids.

“As Gracemere’s population grows, the question of when will a high school be built in Gracemere remains on people’s minds.

“This week I wrote to Di Farmer MP, Minister for Education and Minister for Youth Justice to advocate for the Gracemere community and advised the Minister that I would be forming a Rockhampton and Gracemere Future Schools Community Working Group to meet with stakeholders to analyse the issues and concerns raised.

“There are many considerations, both for families and our educators, and I’m keen to engage with stakeholders and the state government to identify that the community is fully supported and a part of planning to deliver a future high school in the area.

“By commencing a working group, I will be investigating the need for a high school in Gracemere and possible impact on our current schools, educators and families and ensure all children across Rockhampton and Gracemere are provided with great educational opportunities.

“The first step towards this is for an informed discussion with existing schools in Gracemere and the High Schools that they currently travel to daily throughout the school year.

“As the Labor candidate for Rockhampton, I strongly support that every child should have a quality education, and the opportunity to better themselves for the future. If we can present a strong case to the state government that a school is needed I will back that all the way.”

How Gracemere has grown

Gracemere recorded a population of 12,031 persons in 2021, an impressive leap compared to the population recorded 20 years earlier in 2001 of 4,454.

The population of Gracemere grew from 8,401 in 2011 to 12,031 in 2021 (according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics) and is expected to grow to 14,756 in 2031, an increase of 4.8 per cent, according to the Rockhampton Regional Council’s Economic Profile by Economy.id, which uses a mix of ABS and Census data for its projections.

The InfoTrack property market update for quarter three 2023 named the top 10 locations with the highest volume of house sales from July 1 to September 30 with Gracemere at the top.

More than half of the Gracemere properties sold during that period, 52 per cent, were between $300,000 and $400,000.

It is the second consecutive quarter Gracemere has appeared in the top 10, moving from sixth place in quarter two.

Gracemere Shoppingworld revealed plans for an expansion at the centre which will include 500+ more carparks, a basement level, a children’s playground, taxi and bus rank, discount department store, specialty tenancies food court and outdoor dining.

A Hungry Jack’s is under construction and now plans have been proposed to build a neighbouring Zarraffa’s Coffee drive-through.