Parents angered at school catchment of ‘mostly marshland’

Parents have joked their children may have to learn next to “swamp insects and creatures” after the new school catchment for a soon-to-be opened Brisbane school was revealed and most of it was in swamp land.

A map showing the catchment area for the coming Mango Hill State Secondary College.

A MAP showing the catchment area for a much anticipated new school in the north of Brisbane has drawn the ire of residents.

Hundreds of online comments questioned why most of the catchment for the coming Mango Hill State Secondary College fell in as yet undeveloped marshland.

 

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Bridie McIntosh said: “I love how the catchment is 80 per cent marshland.”

Monique Cameron said: “(At) least the people living in the swamp will get to go, lol.”

And Teri Crane said: “Shouldn’t Mango Hill Village be included?”

Member for Bancroft, Chris Whiting, posted the map online and defended the choice of catchment area.

“Boundaries often go from geographic feature to geographic feature,” Mr Whiting said.

“(It) makes it easier to understand.”

A Queensland Department of Education spokesman said there were no public concerns raised during a community consultation process for the catchment earlier in the year.

“The DoE is delivering this $64 million investment for the local community to cater for the significant growth in the area,” the spokesman said.

“The Mango Hill SSC catchment aligns with the existing Mango Hill State School catchment.”

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Member for Murrumba Steven Miles said there would be some flexibility in enrolments.

“Mango Hill Village is in the catchment of North Lakes State College, which is a great school and very nearby,” Mr Miles said.

“I have no doubt Mango Hill SSC is also going to be a great school and I encourage any parent who wants to send their child to apply, including those outside the catchment.”

The DoE said Mango Hill SSC will open to Years 7 and 8 students in January 2020 and will continue to grow by one year level each year until it offers a complete cohort of some 1700 students across Years 7-12 in 2024.