Toowoomba’s Concordia Lutheran College to consolidate all campuses in Harristown in 15-year master plan

A top-performing Toowoomba private school has revealed plans for a total revamp of its operations over the next 15 years, which will see it consolidate all campuses in one place.

One of Toowoomba’s top private schools will completely revamp and consolidate its campuses in a 15-year master plan tipped to cost tens of millions of dollars.

Concordia Lutheran College has revealed it will build a state-of-the-art junior school precinct, currently based in Centenary Heights, at its primary campus on Stephen Street in Harristown, with construction to start as early as next year.

The school, which consistently ranks highly across Toowoomba on NAPLAN and other national educational testing outcomes, will hope to have as many as 800 students in the one college by 2038.

Head of college Anton Prinsloo said the move would reflect the school’s contemporary learning philosophy.

Celebrating the launch of Concordia Lutheran College's 15-year masterplan for a united school campus are (from left) college council chair Kyal Osborne, head of college Anton Prinsloo and college council member and parent Rett Cullinan.

“The master planning process has been happening for the past five years, so the college has been over this journey for some time and we’ve come to the point where we’re ready to bring our junior college campuses onto the Stephen Street campus,” he said.

“Concordia has entered into a contemporary learning framework, in terms of how we do teaching and learning, and the time has come for us to honour our learning philosophy by offering state of the art infrastructure.

“It’s a 10-15 year plan that we’ve put in place, but the new junior college precinct will be in place within the next five years.”

Concept art for Concordia Lutheran College's 15-year master plan in Toowoomba, which will see the school unit all its campuses into one site on Stephen Street in Harristown.

While final figures have not been reached, the college expects the long-term plan to be worth upwards of $10m across its life.

Mr Prinsloo said it had already started talks with the Toowoomba Regional Council to get the first two stages of the master plan approved to ensure Stephen Street could start hosting junior students from 2025.

He said the plan would involve a number of new buildings, as well as refurbishment of existing structures.

Concept art for Concordia Lutheran College's 15-year master plan in Toowoomba, which will see the school unit all its campuses into one site on Stephen Street in Harristown.

“Our vision is also to integrate further infrastructure, like a new admin centre, performing arts centre, sports complex and we’re planning to upgrade our boarding facilities as well,” Mr Prinsloo said.

“The college has put forward funding applications for the Block Grant Authority, which looks after funding for independent and Catholic schools.

“That’s already in submissions and we’re hoping to go to tender at the start of next year, to start construction in 2024 for the first students coming in 2025.”

The 4.29-hectare Hume Street campus will be sold at the end of next year, which could become a lucrative real estate opportunity in Middle Ridge.

It is understood the sale will help fund future stages of the master plan.

Concept art for Concordia Lutheran College's 15-year master plan in Toowoomba, which will see the school unit all its campuses into one site on Stephen Street in Harristown.