Queensland Approves $100M High School for Gracemere

After 20 years of community advocacy, Gracemere families finally have a firm timeline for their new high school.

The Queensland government has awarded the design contract to F.K Gardner & Sons, moving the $100 million project from promise to reality. Construction on the new Gracemere High School will begin by October 2026, with doors opening to Year 7 and 8 students in 2028.

The school will serve a community that has grown by nearly 25 percent in recent years. Gracemere, located in the Rockhampton region of Central Queensland, currently lacks a local high school, forcing families to travel for secondary education.

Stage 1 includes 16 general classrooms, nine specialist learning areas, outdoor sports courts, and an oval. The design prioritizes modern learning environments that match the needs of growing regional communities across Queensland.

Local businesses will get a chance to participate in the construction through upcoming industry information sessions. The contractor will outline opportunities for regional companies to contribute to the project, potentially boosting the local economy during the two-year build.

The Ripple Effect

This school represents more than new buildings. It signals investment in regional Queensland communities that often feel overlooked in state planning.

For Gracemere families, the school means kids can attend high school in their own neighborhood instead of long commutes. Parents will save hours each week on travel, and students will build stronger connections with their local community.

The project also forms part of a larger education expansion across Queensland, with 15 new schools planned statewide. Six of those schools will serve students with special needs, addressing another critical gap in regional education access.

Member for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland emphasized the community's persistence in advocating for local education access. That advocacy, sustained across two decades by parents and community leaders, ultimately secured the commitment and funding.

The first group of Year 7 and 8 students will walk through the doors in just over two years, ending a generation-long wait for local high school education.