Education Minister John Gardner visited Goolwa on Saturday to announce a new government high school will open in Goolwa in 2022. 

It will be on the site of the old Investigator College campus, which was formerly Glendale Christian School.

The state government will invest up to $10 million to refurbish and upgrade the site, to improve the school’s facilities in readiness to welcome its first students at the beginning of 2022.

It is estimated that the school will attract around 400 local students, though that figure may increase with anticipated growth in the area.

The state government has reached an agreement with Investigator College to purchase the land and buildings at its former Goolwa campus, located on the corner of Cadell Street and Glendale Grove in Goolwa.

Education Minister John Gardner says the announcement will provide a major boost for Goolwa that will be welcomed by the local community.

“Goolwa is the largest town in the state without a high school.”

He says some remodelling of the campus was needed and the campus needed to be made disability-compliant.

Investigator College closed its Goolwa campus in 2019, consolidating its operations at its purpose-built Victor Harbor campus.

Investigator principal John Robins wrote to reassure parents that complementary buses would continue to service the Goolwa district.

Federal MP for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie has welcomed the state government's plan for the new school.

“This is a project I have been helping the community and the Alexandrina Council advocate for with the SA Government, and I met with the Minister to put forward a strong case for turning this surplus private facility into a much-needed public high school," she says.

"People usually think of the south coast as an area with a significant older demographic, and that's true, but the reality is this region is one of the fastest growing urban areas in SA with many families and people of all ages moving here. 

“I know from my meetings with school and community leaders that our schools are full and this has been an issue I have raised with both the former and current state government.

“Using the college site is a sensible solution and a much-needed commitment for our community.”

The announcement means there will be two new state schools on the Fleurieu in 2022, with the B-12 school at Aldinga also scheduled to open in term one that year.

Image by 200 Degrees from Pixabay