Monaro MP Nichole Overall with NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole with the land flagged for a potential public high school in Googong. Photo: Chris Beckhouse.
A nine-hectare parcel of land has been singled out by the NSW Government as a potential site for a public high school in Googong.
The Department of Education is undertaking a voluntary planning assessment so that it could snap up the land when it is released by the developer.
Monaro MP Nichole Overall said it was all about future-proofing the region.
“It’s not as though we’re going to have a new high school out here tomorrow, it’s looking at that continued future growth and what will be needed as we continue to move forward,” she said.
“It’s about making sure our families continue to be looked after in our backyard.”
Googong is zoned to Karabar High School, with Queanbeyan’s population also growing.
Ms Overall identified Googong as one of the “fastest growing regional areas” in the state, and wanted to be prepared for when a public high school was needed closer to home.
“This is the first stage in what comes next as this suburb continues to grow,” she said.
She was joined by NSW Deputy Premier Paul Toole in making the announcement, who said the State Government wouldn’t be doing the town any favours if it wasn’t prepared now.
“We’ve got to be thinking about what is needed in the next five, 10 years, and we know there’s going to be the demand and the need for a high school, and we’d be doing a disservice if we didn’t think about the land now,” he said.
“If we don’t identify the land now, who knows where the high school land might be in the future.”
Googong resident Nicola Jenson said the potential for a local public high school was one of the reasons she chose to move her young family to the area.
She called the future facility “game-changing” for those living in the town.
“It’s important for families to have options in the area, freedom of choice is great,” Ms Jenson said.
“It will be lovely to be able to walk to school and enjoy the fresh air.”
As the voluntary planning agreement is underway, it remains to be seen if this will be the final site for a public high school in Googong.
As it also depends on when the developer releases the land, there is no timeline for when construction could begin.
The identified site is bound by Wellsvale Drive, Observer Street, Glenrock Drive and Harvest Street, next to the future town centre.
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