Before and after: Aerial photos reveal growth of Gold Coast schools

Stunning aerial photos have revealed huge growth at some of the Gold Coast’s most popular schools. See how your children’s school has changed.

They are the pictures that tell the story of the Gold Coast’s growth through the lives of some of its most precious residents.

Striking images taken from planes by Australian company Nearmap using its aerial camera system show how many of the city’s biggest schools have expanded in the past decade.

It’s not only classrooms that have been added. Spectacular new theatres, libraries and sports halls have sprung up in both private and public schools across the city.

The facilities are to support a growing student population, which in February this year had reached 63,351 – up 21 per cent since 2012.

Much of that growth has been in the city’s northern suburbs, where a number of new schools have also been built. Six new state schools have opened in the area in the last decade – three in Coomera and three in Pimpama.

New private schools to open include Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School (2015), King’s Christian College’s Pimpama (2015) and St Joseph’s College Coomera (2019).

Other schools are being substantially upgraded. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said that in this financial year alone $171m had been committed to “maintaining, improving and upgrading” schools on the Gold Coast.

Among the schools to benefit are Pacific Pines State High School, where $24m is being spent on new classrooms, and Palm Beach Currumbin State High School, where $10m is being spent on a new indoor sports precinct.

It’s a story of continuing growth, as the photos below demonstrate.

If you’re viewing this story on desktop, click and drag the slider tool from left to right to see how an area has changed since 2012. On mobile, click the picture left and right of the line to move the slider.

Address: 10 A B Paterson Drive, Arundel

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1579

Address: Mediterranean Drive, Benowa

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1983

Address: Pine Ridge Road, Coombabah

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1233

Address: 8 Days Road, Upper Coomera

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1437

Address: Birmingham Road, Carrara

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1664

Address: 243 Discovery Drive, Helensvale

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 2211

Address: Anne Street, Southport

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 993

Address: 68 Gemvale Road, Reedy Creek

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 2318

Address: 62 Reedmans Road, Ormeau

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1293

Address: 68 Mirambeena Drive, Pimpama

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 697

Address: 261-283 Reedy Creek Road, Burleigh Waters

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1376

Address: Dunlop Court, Mermaid Waters

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1223

Address: 2137-2205 Gold Coast Highway, Miami

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1460

Address: 1-35 Weedons Road, Nerang

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1118

Address: Archipelago Street, Pacific Pines

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1923

Address: Thrower Drive, Palm Beach

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 2594

Address: Dixon Drive, Pimpama

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1685

Address: Rivermount Drive, Yatala

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1010

Address: Investigator Drive, Robina

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1429

Address: Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1493

Address: 75 Smith Street, Southport

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1942

Address: 175 Tallebudgera Creek Road, Tallebudgera

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1304

Address: 52 High Street, Southport

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1064

Address: Jondique Avenue, Merrimac

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 885

Address: Lupus Street, Southport

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 6

Students enrolled (2021): 539

Address: Winchester Street, Southport

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1032

Address: 137 Reserve Road, Upper Coomera

Year levels: Prep Year to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1957

Address: 198 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes

Year levels: Year 7 to Year 12

Students enrolled (2021): 1862

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Originally published as Before and after: Aerial photos reveal growth of Gold Coast schools