Improvements to the Illawarra’s public education system are in the works after the NSW Government released an official masterplan for Flinders Public High School.
Set to be built next to Flinders Public School on Brunderee Road, the new high school will accommodate 750 students and open for Term 1, 2029. It is the first public high school to be built in Shellharbour in 55 years.
Flinders Public School Principal Greg Wells praised the project as an important investment in local educational infrastructure, intended to support booming residential growth across Shellharbour and Flinders.
“We’ve got great schools, but we’ve also got an expanding area,” Mr Wells said.
“It’s great that we’ll have an additional school to bring increased opportunities for our students across not only the Flinders and Shellharbour area, but across the Illawarra.”
Student teacher and Warilla High School graduate Bree Todd expressed support for the school as a much needed asset for Illawarra families.
“We live in a community that is growing so rapidly, including a lot of young families and a very high population of students, so I do think the new school is very much needed,” Ms Todd said.
Despite previous delays with budget allocation, Mr Wells said he was pleased that funding was provided to the school with the 2026-27 State Budget.
“I’m just really grateful that this time, a substantial amount of money is being invested in our local area,” Mr Wells said.
“At Flinders Public School, we are very blessed to have this on our doorstep because I think it’ll see a through line from Kindergarten all the way to our stage six students graduating.”
Ms Todd said the school could be a determinant to draw more students into the local public education system amidst declining public school enrolment rates statewide.
“I do think the school could really boost public school enrolments in the start of 2029 because people are really excited about having a new high school in the area.” Ms Todd said.
Ms Todd said anticipation is already building within community social media pages with parents excited to enrol their children upon the school’s opening in 2029.
