New Catholic co-ed high school approved for Brisbane

Work will start on a new Catholic co-ed high school in Brisbane’s north early next year after ministerial approval was granted for the project that will cater for as many as 900 students.

An artist’s image of the Catholic secondary school which will be built at Fitzgibbon. Source: Brisbane Catholic Education

WORK will start on a new Catholic co-ed high school in Brisbane early next year after ministerial approval was granted for the project.

The Fitzgibbon Private Secondary School in Brisbane’s north will cater for up to 900 students from Years 7-12, and plans to open with about 150 year 7 students in semester 1, 2022.

The school will be built on a 5.76ha block at 441 Beams Rd, which is currently operated as a golf driving range.

An artist's impression of the new Catholic co-ed high school at Fitzgibbon. Image: DTS Group Qld Pty Ltd report

Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) applied for a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation from the Planning Minister, and approval was granted late last week.

A BCE spokesman said they were pleased with the decision.

“This is an exciting time of growth for Catholic education in southeast Queensland as we follow the likes of new P-12 schools last year at St Joseph’s College, Coomera and Good Samaritan Catholic College, Bli Bli.

“We will open new secondary schools next year with San Damiano College at Yarrabilba (in Logan City) and Sophia College at Plainland (Lockyer Valley).”

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The closest coeducational Catholic secondary schools in Brisbane North are Mt Maria College campuses at Mitchelton and Petrie, with enrolments of about 940 and 460 respectively.

There are also two co-ed secondary schools in South Brisbane: Clairvaux MacKillop College at Upper Mt Gravatt and Seton College at Mt Gravatt East.

The masterplan for a new Catholic co-ed high school at Fitzgibbon. Image: DTS Group Qld Pty Ltd report

The BCE spokesman said they were now waiting on the final stage of funding approval before construction could begin at Fitzgibbon in early 2021.

“There will be a number of stages of construction to take the school to its planned enrolment of about 900 students,” he said.

“The first stage, which is planned for completion before the school opens, will feature space for classrooms, specialist rooms, administration, a PE covered area and an oval.”

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More than 800 families have already expressed interest in sending their children to the new school.

“Expressions of interest have been well above our expectations, indicating the enthusiasm in this growing community for the first Catholic secondary coeducational school in the area,” the spokesman said.

A new Catholic co-ed high school will be built at Fitzgibbon. Image: DTS Group Qld Pty Ltd report

He said further details, including the school’s name, staff numbers and initial enrolment numbers, “will be determined in time”.

However he said the school would welcome students from all backgrounds.

The BCE proposal for the school includes buildings ranging from one to three storeys, with the taller buildings orientated to the south, and a reduced height as the buildings get closer to homes to the north.

Primary access will be from Carselgrove Ave.

A new Catholic co-ed high school will be built at Fitzgibbon. Image: DTS Group Qld Pty Ltd report

The proposed campus will include:

■ A three-storey physical education hall and music and performance centre;

■ A two to three-storey learning centre and cafe;

■ Three two-storey classrooms;

■ Two two-storey speciality buildings;

■ Two one to two-storey speciality buildings;

■ A large oval and tennis courts;

■ Multiple pedestrian connection points to the existing bikeway along Cabbage Tree Creek;

■ Connection to pedestrian ingress/egress points, connecting to existing external bus stops and Carseldine train station;

■ New school set down/drop off area;

■ Staff parking, internal manoeuvring and turn around area;

■ Retention of vegetated buffer to north and northwest corner adjoining homes; and

■ Rehabilitated wetlands to the northeast.

BCE undertook engagement with Brisbane City Council and the local community before submitting the designation request.

A public consultation period in October and November last year resulted in 92 submissions.