A second high school for the region was the topic of discussion in the NSW Legislative Assembly chamber on Thursday evening. 

South Coast MP Shelley Hancock spoke to the chamber about the growing need for a second high school in the area, suggesting the NSW Government purchase the former Shoalhaven Anglican School site in Milton. 

“We are looking at a real opportunity for a second high school in the southern Shoalhaven and I guess it is opportune to know that Shoalhaven Anglican School is about to close completely at the end of this year,” she said. 

“They have a training school operating but they have decided to completely close the school and I am really keen for the government to look at purchasing that entire school. 

“It would be, in my view, much cheaper to purchase this school than build a new high school.”

Mrs Hancock said she did not want to wait until the “situation was dire”. She said at one stage, Ulladulla High School had 32 demountables on site. 

When Mrs Hancock was elected to government in 2003, she fought for funding to expand the school.

“The history of Ulladulla High School is in many ways fascinating but also frustrating,” she said. 

“I joined with the community to secure a multi-million dollar upgrade for the school in order to cater for the growing region in Ulladulla and southern Shoalhaven. 

“Unfortunately the need for the upgrade was not just about enrolments, the condition of the facility was of major concern with 32 demountable classrooms on site, most taking up play space and sporting fields. This situation was, of course, absolutely unacceptable. 

“It was [a] Labor government that did nothing to address that. Because the school had not been redeveloped appropriately, the sewerage pipes broke and burst and flowed all over the playground, untreated sewerage.” 

Mrs Hancock met with the Minister for Education about purchasing the Croobyar Road, Milton site. 

“I am calling on the government and the education minister for support of the purchase of that site,” she said.

“If we can integrate a new high school, situated in Milton, so we can take enrollments from Milton Primary School and other schools in the area, it would be a great solution and a great thing for public education.” 

Mrs Hancock said Ulladulla High School had grown “exponentially over the years”. 

“It is really constrained on that site now and we can go no further with expanding that high school,” she said. 

“We have to look to the future now. We don’t want to get stage of having 32 demoutables on site again taking up playing fields.

“I don’t want to wait until we have a situation which is dire, as it was.”

Having taught at Ulladulla High School when it opened in 1976, Mrs Hancock said she had a “particular affinity” with the site.