Tradies take up tools at booming Gold Coast school

Work is underway on a $12 million new classroom building at the booming Picnic Creek State School in Coomera, supporting 20 jobs.

Education Minister Grace Grace said southeast Queensland construction company Dickinson Constructions was onsite from 14 May to deliver eight early years classrooms by November 2021.

“Picnic Creek has more than quadrupled in size since it opened in 2018, from 196 students to 828 children today,” Ms Grace said.

“This new two-storey, state-of-the-art learning centre will meet the needs of this growing school community and maintain a pipeline of infrastructure work for SEQ tradies.”

The new building will include outdoor learning spaces such as a mud kitchen, where children work with their hands using mud, sand and water in creative play. There is also a practical learning alcove, a staff preparation space along with student and staff amenities.

Principal Donna Gosling said the school community was looking forward to seeing the new two-storey learning centre being built.

“We encourage our students to make the most of our natural environment and try to bring the outdoors in wherever possible, which also keeps them engaged and focussed,” she said.

Ms Grace said the new building demonstrated the Government’s commitment to providing quality education facilities in growing communities and creating jobs.

“The Gold Coast is a hotbed of building work at the moment, with the new $50.6 million special school underway at Coomera, ready to open to students for 2022.

“This much needed new special school will service the growing population in Coomera and Pimpama and provide special schooling relief to the existing Southport Special School and Beenleigh Special School in Logan.

“Newly-appointed principal Kate Hucker has already been on site and will be working hard on the many tasks that are part of setting up a new school, including hiring staff, consulting the community about a school name and establishing a school community group.” 

Ms Grace said the Picnic Creek expansion was part of the record $1.9 billion investment in school infrastructure this year, supporting almost 4800 jobs – including $133.5 million on the Gold Coast.

“This investment will provide a pipeline of local jobs, supporting local economies, as part of our economic recovery plan for Queensland,” she said.

“We continue to invest in more schools, more classrooms and more teachers, so Queensland students have access to quality education facilities, no matter where they live.”

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