Aura's first school celebrates opening of administration building

Stockland has today welcomed the opening of the Baringa State Primary School administration building, a key piece of infrastructure for the first school in Stockland’s thriving Aura community on the Sunshine Coast, which opens to students in 2018.

The Hon. Kate Jones, Minister for Education and Minister for Tourism and Major Events, joined Stockland’s Regional Manager of Residential Development Ben Simpson, Baringa State Primary’s first Principal Noel Baggs and 20 new teachers to inspect the new building today during a visit to the brand new community.

“It’s great to be here today to meet the staff and mark the first major milestone of this exciting new STEM school for this quickly growing community.”

“Baringa State Primary School will set the benchmark for primary school education in Queensland, and with enrolments already underway, we look forward to welcoming the class of 2018 very soon,” Minister Jones said.

Baringa is the first suburb to be delivered as part of Stockland’s Aura masterplanned community, which to has been declared by the Queensland Government as a Priority Development Area.

Stockland’s Ben Simpson said the school will further activate the fast-growing Aura community, which is already home to around 235 families, and provide first class education for local primary-aged children.

“Baringa State Primary School will be a state-of-the-art education facility catering to the needs of the many residents across Stockland’s Aura, Bells Reach and Bellvista communities.”

Baringa State Primary School will educate up to 1,100 students in 37 classrooms configured over two storeys, and is expected to employ more than 80 full time and part time staff.   The new school will have a strong focus on Science, Education, Engineering and Maths (STEM) learning and will include a robotics laboratory, recording studio and innovation hubs.

The school has been designed as the heart of Baringa, located on the main street and adjoining a future town centre, cafes, child care centre and Council community facilities.

Students will be able to access the school via the recently completed Veloway, a dedicated two-way cycleway to encourage students and parents to ride and walk safely to school.

Mr Simpson said the innovative public primary school would set a new standard for the future of education in Queensland. 

“Under a collaborative agreement between Stockland, Sunshine Coast Council and the Queensland Government, the co-shared facilities will be available for use by the entire community outside of school hours.

“It is wonderful to mark this exciting milestone today and we thank the State Government for their collaboration to bring this first school to life,” Mr Simpson said.

Key facts

• Aura is the largest masterplanned community ever undertaken in Australia and the Green Building Council of Australia has awarded the project with a highly coveted 6 Star Green Star – Communities rating.
• Aura has been designed with a 200km network of walking and cycle paths, linking homes with local schools and future town centres. 
• As part of its $1.3 billion Infrastructure Agreement with the Sunshine Coast Council and the State Government, Stockland has committed to build 10 separate sporting grounds, create parks and playgrounds within easy walking distance of every home and dedicated serviced land for the provision of more than 20 schools and education centres, while also providing land for 25 community facilities.
• More than 20,000 new homes will be created on the 24 square kilometre site over the next 30 years. The future city will feature a vibrant town centre and retail hub, extensive South Bank style urban parkland, an elite sporting and performance precinct and two business and enterprise parks.

Notes to editor