Cash splash brings Mount Duneed high school back to life

Negotiations are underway for a long-awaited secondary school in Geelong’s southern growth corridor, with the state government moving to secure land in Mount Duneed.

The government confirmed it has allocated $104 million has been allocated in the state budget to acquire sites for future schools, including a parcel at the corner of Sovereign Drive and Boundary Road.

In 2022, South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman pledged $1 million towards a business case for a new high school in the growth area, but there has been little movement since.

The Mount Duneed site was first identified for a high school in a 2012 precinct plan, with pressure mounting in recent years as multiple new primary schools opened without a corresponding secondary option.

Labor candidate for South Barwon Rebecca Thistleton said a local high school was essential.

“It’s been great to see how many primary schools have opened up in the area – we had Biyala Primary and Yirrama Primary open at the start of this year – but families want to be able to send their kids to a great local high school as well,” she said.

Thistleton joined parliamentary secretary for education Nina Taylor at the site on Friday to announce the funding, which allows negotiations with the current landowner, Villawood Properties, to begin.

Neither would be drawn on a timeline for the school’s completion.

“It’s great we have this announcement and we have the funding allocated in the budget. That means that we are on the path to delivering a wonderful new public secondary school for Mount Duneed, but I won’t undermine the tender process,” Taylor said.

Taylor said population growth data from the Department of Transport had guided where new schools were needed.

Concerns about the lack of a local high school have been ongoing.

In 2025, City of Greater Geelong councillor Andrew Katos warned secondary education in the area was lagging behind.

“The needs of families in our area are being recognised at other levels of schooling,” Cr Katos wrote in a column published by this paper.

“Unfortunately, the establishment of secondary schools has fallen behind.”

Students in Mount Duneed currently face walks of up to 45 minutes to Grovedale or Oberon College, often crossing busy roads or rail lines.

Cr Katos said many families moved to the area expecting a local high school to be delivered.

Thistleton said the project would provide certainty for current and future residents.

“Making sure that you’ve got the services that you need is always a big factor when you’re choosing where you want to raise a family, and build a house,” Thistleton said.

“It’s really good to be able to give them the certainty they need to know that if they’re coming here to raise their family, everything that they need to have a really strong and solid community is going to be here for them.”