The Carol Avenue campus of Moree Secondary College, formerly Courallie High School, seen from the street in October 2026. The site remains in NSW Department of Education ownership. Photo: Moree Online News.
The NSW Department of Education says there is no immediate opportunity for community use of the former Courallie High School site in Moree, where several groups have publicly promoted ideas for the property.
The department confirmed it still owns the Carol Avenue site and is maintaining it while considering options for its future. It has not identified those options or said whether they include any of the community proposals.
“The NSW Department of Education remains the owner of the former Moree Secondary College, Carol Ave Campus site in Moree,” a department spokesperson told Moree Online News.
“The department is maintaining the site whilst options for future use are considered.”
Four ideas for the site
Four possible uses have been promoted publicly.
SpacePort Australia and One Giant Leap Australia have proposed a space science school, while Mém Aree’s Specialist Centre has promoted Carol Boston House, a community facility offering support services.
An agricultural boarding school has also been suggested, and Yaggabi Dhangal Inc has proposed a Gamilaraay-led Aboriginal learning and cultural centre.
Two of the ideas have attracted petitions to the NSW Parliament. A petition allows supporters to raise an issue with Parliament, but it is not a formal application to use the property.
The space science school petition closed on 12 August 2026 with 355 signatures. It was tabled in the NSW Legislative Assembly but fell below the 500 signatures needed to require a ministerial response.
A separate petition supporting the Aboriginal learning and cultural centre is scheduled to close on 9 November 2026. Both petitions were presented by Member for Barwon Brendan Moylan.
The department did not confirm whether it had received any formal proposals or held discussions with the groups involved.
Questions about the land’s history
The space science school petition claims the Hann family donated the land to the education department in 1970 for educational purposes.
However, the department said its records and the certificate of title contain no reference to a grant or donation from a former owner.
This does not establish how the land was acquired. Moree Online News has not obtained evidence confirming a donation or any condition requiring the property to remain in educational use.
What happens now?
Courallie High School became Moree Secondary College’s Carol Avenue Campus following its merger with Moree High School. Secondary education was later consolidated at the Albert Street campus.
Barwon Learning Centre, a specialist school providing intensive learning support, still shares the Carol Avenue site.
The department has not said whether the property has been declared surplus, whether it is being assessed for housing or when its future use might be determined.
For now, the department retains ownership, with no immediate opportunity for community use and no confirmation that any of the proposals are under formal consideration.
