The Minns Labor Government has broken ground on a major public school project and key election commitment in Huntlee, delivering the area’s first public high school as well as a new, co-located public primary school and public preschool.
The schools will ensure access to a world-class public education for families in the Hunter’s first new town in 50 years, alongside the rapidly growing surrounding area, where the population is forecast to more than double to over 25,000 by 2046.
The new schools will take pressure off the existing Branxton Public School that was left bursting at the seams by the Nationals and Liberals who repeatedly told the community that new schools were not needed.
On track to open Day 1 Term 1 2028, the new schools will cater for 1,500 students – 500 in the primary school and 1,000 in the high school – with the co-located public preschool providing places for up to 120 children per week.
The high school will include 54 classrooms, facilities for specialist support classes, a library, administration spaces, and Vocational Education and Training workshops and a kitchen for construction and hospitality, providing students with a direct pathway from classroom to career. The primary school will include 27 classrooms, with dedicated spaces for specialist support classes, along with the public preschool.
Students and the broader community will benefit from multipurpose halls at both the primary and high school, as well as new sports and play facilities.
The need for a new high school in the area was identified by local families and the Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr as far back as 2012, culminating in the community led ‘Build Huntlee High School’ campaign that attracted almost 800 signatures.
A public consultation is currently underway on the naming of the new schools, with community members encouraged to have their say: edu.nsw.link/School name survey for Huntlee.
In addition to the schools at Huntlee, the Minns Labor Government is delivering new and upgraded schools across the Hunter’s growing communities. These include:
- New high school for Medowie
- Gillieston Public School redevelopment
- Newcastle High School redevelopment (delivered)
- Thornton Public School upgrade
Additionally, as part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to deliver 100 public preschools by 2027, new public preschools will open on 12 public school sites next year – in Gillieston, Tenambit, Booragul, Teralba, Maryland, Shortland, Ellalong, Kearsley, Cessnock, Nulkalba, Weston and Kurri Kurri.
Along with the Albanese Labor Government, NSW is also delivering new public early learning centres at Muswellbrook Public School and Cessnock East Public School.
The Minns Labor Government is also expanding high potential and gifted education opportunities at Muswellbrook High School through multi-million-dollar upgrades to its creative and performing arts spaces, gym, sports courts and multipurpose spaces.
The new and upgraded schools are part of a record $9 billion investment by the Minns Labor Government for school infrastructure in the 2025-26 Budget, which includes $2.1 billion for new and upgraded schools in regional NSW.
This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s work to rebuild public education, building new and upgraded schools where they are needed and slashing teacher vacancies to ensure every classroom has a qualified teacher.
Deputy Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
“This is a major milestone for a rapidly growing community which under Labor is finally getting the schools it deserves after a decade of the Nationals and Liberals telling families they weren’t needed.
“Until now, families moving into this area to build their lives have had to send their children as far as 20km away, to schools that were bursting at the seams.
“Under Labor, public education is being rebuilt, more teachers are staying in the profession, and communities across the Hunter are getting the world-class public schools they deserve, close to their homes.
“The Minns Labor Government is proud to be investing in the future of this community and ensuring the next generation of students in the Hunter have every opportunity to learn, grow and thrive in world-class public schools.”
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:
“This community has grown and today marks the beginning of a project that locals have been calling for over many years.
“These schools will give children the opportunity to learn closer to home and provide families with the confidence that essential services are growing alongside their community.
“For Huntlee, this isn’t just a sod turn – it’s a sign of a community coming into its own and a government investing in its future.”
Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr said:
“Our community has been waiting a long time for this day. Breaking ground on these schools means that kids growing up in North Rothbury, Greta and Branxton will have world-class public education right on their doorstep.
“I was sounding the alarm about a lack of schools to meet the looming population boom as far back as 2012, yet our community was repeatedly ignored and brushed aside by the Nationals and Liberals.
“The Minns Labor Government has listened to the families of Branxton and Greta and I couldn’t be prouder to be here today, delivering the world-class, school infrastructure our community deserves.”
Labor spokesperson for Upper Hunter Emily Suvaal MLC said:
“Anyone who has ever visited this area in the past decade would have told you that new schools were needed yet the Nationals and Liberals, including the Member for Upper Hunter David Layzell, refused to listen and commit to a new school.”
