Disruption to school access

Some long-awaited construction projects are now underway. Parents of our disability unit and HMIEC have shown extraordinary patience with the unsatisfactory driveway, drop-off, and pick-up arrangements. I began to lobby the Department for Education to provide reasonable driveway access to these areas of the school soon after I arrived three and a half years ago. After numerous setbacks, it is wonderful that the dirt road will be widened and sealed, with construction of a sealed drop-off area and turnaround being commenced. We hope this will improve student and driver safety. We hope to see further improvements in 2026.

Following the Government’s announcement of the roundabout upgrade at the Flaxley and Wellington Roads intersections, and 18 months of negotiation with the Department of Transport and Infrastructure, work on the entrances at the front of the school and the front carpark is about to commence.

Unfortunately, a portion of the school’s land is being acquired, but we have worked hard to improve access to the front of the school and to student and parent safety at the beginning and end of the school day. The Department of Infrastructure and Transport has committed to communicating with our school community at key stages as work progresses on our carpark and the roundabout.

Early works are underway for the Adelaide Road, Mount Barker Roundabout upgrade, including site preparation, service locating, culvert works, and improvements within the school carpark. Major construction activities are scheduled to begin in January 2026.