New Logan high school shelved after state blocked from preferred site to protect koalas

The state government has been left scrambling to find a new site for a high school due to open south of Brisbane next year after its preferred site was ruled off limits – one of a number of campuses that will no longer be built by 2024.

A new Logan high school due to open next year has been temporarily shelved after a change to federal koala protection laws blocked the state government from its preferred site – one of a number of Queensland schools which will no longer be built by 2024.

Park Ridge was set to have a new high school next year, but on Wednesday Education Minister Grace Grace confirmed an alternative site would have to be found after the Albanese government strengthened environmental protections.

A controversial site for a new inner-west Brisbane primary school has also been scrapped, while a new primary school for Park Ridge, a high school in Collingwood Park, and a new senior campus for Springfield Central State High school have also seen their predicted opening dates shift from 2024, to 2025.

The new inner-west Brisbane primary school had been flagged to be built at the former Toowong Bowls Club site, but that has now been deemed unsuitable, with the finger pointed at “unprecedented flooding” plus the need for further community consultation.

Education Minister Grace Grace confirms a new site will be need to found for the Park Ridge high school. File picture

Ms Grace also said stabilising enrolments meant there was capacity for about 600 extra students in the existing surrounding state schools, meaning a new state school was not required in the area as soon as anticipated.

The initial business case from 2019 would be reviewed, with Toowong, Ironside and Indooroopilly state schools to get new and upgraded facilities in the meantime.

Ms Grace said it had become clear “some of our new schools aren’t needed as quickly as was predicted a few years ago”.

“Low birthrates from 2017 onwards, as well as a significant reduction in overseas enrolments due to Covid, means enrolments have stabilised and growth pressures have eased in some areas,” she said.

“We are prioritising opening new schools where they are needed, and ensuring best value for taxpayers in what is an incredibly challenging construction market impacted by the rising costs and labour shortages we’ve seen since the pandemic.”

Ms Grace said the lower than predicted enrolments meant the government could take the time to “secure more suitable sites” in inner-west Brisbane and Park Ridge.

A new $13m learning centre being constructed at Park Ridge Start High would assist in capacity until a new site was found, while Loganlea State High School would also receive facility upgrades.

LNP education spokesman Christian Rowan blamed the state government’s “failure to plan and deliver” on the effective shelving of the new inner-west school until further notice.

“Under the watch of the Palaszczuk Labor Government millions of dollars have been wasted on staggering project blowouts, including $23 million for the Brisbane South State Secondary College and Fortitude Valley State Secondary College,” Dr Rowan said.

“Labor simply cannot deliver projects on-time or on-budget and Queenslanders are footing the bill.”

Originally published as New Logan high school shelved after state blocked from preferred site to protect koalas