A key educational institution that has grown exponentially into three campuses is celebrating its diamond anniversary.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Noosa District State High School opening its classroom doors, after being renamed from Cooroy State High School.
The unique three-campus independent public school has campuses in Pomona, Cooroy and another in Belli Park, called Mimburi Campus.
In a long line of 15 permanent principals, Stacy Wilmore has been at the helm of the high school as current principal for the past two years.
She is the fourth female principal, with the first being Cate MacMillan, who led the school from 2003 until 2011.
Ms Wilmore said “the milestone was a wonderful reminder of the intergenerational impacts of our great school and the proud place we have in the community”.
“It’s a chance to learn from the past, live in the present, and look to the future to continue to build on our strengths and identity as a school community,” she said.
“I am humbled by student achievements and have so much pride when this is celebrated so positively in our community.
“My purpose is to make a positive difference to student lives, I have the best job in the world because we see this every day through our amazing student achievements.”
She outlined some of the significant changes that the school had seen over the past few years including “the continued growth in technology, our Mimburi (Belli Park) Campus evolution into an outdoor education facility and the continued improvement in our campus facilities – including the new $13 million hall at Pomona Campus”.
“I am so grateful, humbled and privileged to be the principal of this school to serve our students and community,” she said.
“We have so much to be proud of in our legacy and history and I am committed and excited to grow this into the future. We have a great team at Noosa District SHS, including our entire community – I am certainly not in it alone.”
Some notable “legends” and former students of the high school include:
- Patrick Rafter: tennis professional (who left the school in 1987);
- Issa Schultz: quiz master and television personality on The Chaser (2001);
- Dr Elke Hacker: QUT postdoctoral research fellow specialising in the molecular pathways that lead to melanoma development (1998);
- Oz Bayldon: humanitarian (1989); and
- Peter Wellington: State Member of Parliament (1976).
A walk down memory lane
Noosa District SHS’s Cooroy Campus opened in 1963 with facilities located on a 32-acre site. About 182 students were attending the school, with a staff of nine teachers.
While this was the formal opening of the high school on its current site, Cooroy High had been underway for two years, previously operating out of the Cooroy State School campus in 1961, and then transitioning to the Tulip Street location during 1962.
The establishment of the school by the early 1960s was largely due to the drive and tenacity of a small group of parents and community members who represented the interests of local state school communities.
Substantial enrolment growth in all local centres meant that the secondary department options for Cooroy and Pomona were unviable, and given that Cooroy was then a central location in the district, there was little other option than to approve the construction of a separate high school.
With approval for construction finally granted in March 1961 for the new high school site, the initial costing of £36,000 (about $650,000 in today’s currency) was for a general purpose classroom block, as well as domestic science and manual arts wings.
Extensions were already being planned, as future enrolments were indicative of further growth.
The year of 1961 saw secondary classes commence at Cooroy State School in classrooms at the eastern end of the main building.
John ‘Jack’ Chidgey served as principal of both primary and secondary sectors.
As a state-wide initiative, Year 8 students were to commence secondary education for the first time in 1964.
On January 30, 1962, about 119 students commenced school at the new site, although still officially as a secondary department attached to Cooroy State School.
Col Humphreys became the foundation principal of the Cooroy State High School in January 1963. Enrolments had grown to 179 students as the school filled its Years 9-12 classes.
By 1964, with the arrival of Year 8 into the high school setting, 290 students were enrolled. It was a significant growth factor that put pressure on buildings, classrooms, staffing and facilities.
The school was to continue to advance incrementally through the following decades, both in terms of enrolment and educational opportunity for students.
By 1980 more than 600 students were enrolled, and by 2000 this number was to exceed 1200, despite the construction of other high schools on the coastal strip.
At the official opening ceremony on May 25, 1963, the Wide Bay regional director of education Mr F. Borchardt said “Iit was seen as necessary for all to have the opportunity of the broadening effects of secondary education”.
“When we consider the wonderful achievement of many thousands of students of Noosa District State High School since and including that time, this vision has been well and truly realised,” he said.
Related story: ‘Proud and privileged’: high school turning 60
Over the past 60 years, the school has grown to accommodate general learning areas with specialist buildings, a swimming pool, hall, special education unit and agriculture farm to accommodate the current enrolment population.
The Cooroy Campus has about 700 students and 140 staff, and the Pomona Campus has 400 students and 70 staff.
The school consists of single- and double-storey buildings with undercover walkways linking most areas, and a state-of-the-art canteen was redeveloped in 2013.
In 2007, the former Cooroora Secondary College became known as Noosa District SHS Pomona Campus.
This campus was constructed in 2000 and has modern, well-maintained facilities. It is situated on 24 hectares (60 acres) in the shadow of Mt Cooroora.
The Pomona Campus accommodates Year 7 and Year 8 students as a junior secondary specialist campus.
The school celebrated its 60 years in the community in style last month, with week-long activities.
Highlights included a themed ‘step back in time’ day, a formal parade, entertainment by Matilda Malone and Jemzel Costales, staff long-service honours, the Noosa District SHS 60th anniversary principal’s tour as well as a foundation tree planting ceremony and 60th birthday cake cutting.
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