CLASS is in session for Medowie students as the state government announces the site for a new public high school.
The new high school is set to open Term 1, 2027, with modern classrooms, a library, school hall, administration facilities, outdoor play and sports area.
Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington said the announcement of Medowie's first public high school marks an important milestone for the community.
"By building Medowie's public high school at this site, we will be transforming our town and our kids' futures," she said.
"After almost 20 years of fighting for this school, it's difficult to describe how excited I am to be announcing the site where our government is going to finally make it a reality."
The NSW Department of Education is acquiring 6.6 hectares of land at 6 Abundance Road and designs for the school are under way.
It's the first step towards delivering the community's first public high school.
The new school is expected to provide Medowie children with access to a high-quality education in their local area, accommodating for the town's forecast growth in enrolments.
Community members have pushed for a new high school in the area for years, arguing more than 1000 students were being forced to travel elsewhere for education, some spending more than two hours per day on buses.
In 2023, Medowie Public School was at 117 per cent capacity with 351 students and Wirreanda Public School was at 123 per cent capacity with 625 students.
At that time, the NSW Department of Education said there was not enough growth in the area to warrant building a new public high school in Medowie.
The need for a public high school in Medowie has featured in state election campaigns in the past four decades.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said she was delighted to share the location of the new school with the community.
"This follows more than a decade of inaction by the Liberals and Nationals," she said.
"This new high school will give Medowie families access to a world-class education in their local area."
In the early 1980s, land on Ferodale Road was acquired for the school but successive governments did not invest in the project.
A Port Stephens Council 2016 Medowie Planning Strategy predicted more than 7000 new residents will call the area home by mid-2030.
The state government has committed $1.4 billion to upgrade and rebuild schools across regional NSW, including several in the Hunter.
Plans are in place for a new public school and high school in Huntlee and major upgrades at Newcastle High School, Gillieston Public School, Hunter River High School and Irrawang High School.
