Gilston State School, QLD - an opportunity to do business in a different way

“With the facilities now completed, there’s a real feeling of excitement throughout Gilston State School about what’s possible and what’s ahead,” says Bruce Langes, Principal of Gilston State School.

Located in the Gold Coast hinterland, Gilston State School received funding of $3 million under the Primary Schools for the 21st Century (P21) element of the Building the Education Revolution, a key component of the Nation Building-Economic Stimulus Plan to build a multipurpose hall and resource centre.

The resource centre features a library a computer lab, a multi-media centre, a science centre and an outside learning area overlooking the adjoining bushland.

With environmental sustainability in mind, the resource centre has been designed so as to avoid the use of air-conditioning by using passive cooling, while rainwater will be collected from its large roof surface for irrigation and toilets.

The school also received $200,000 in funding through the National School Pride (NSP) program which Bruce described as being ‘a real coup’.

“NSP funding has also allowed the school to put in covered walkways between buildings and fibre optic cabling and data outlets linking classrooms.

“BER has had a significant impact on our school — it’s hard to describe it in any other way,” Bruce said.

BER has also provided a major boost to the local building industry, according to Craig Watts, site supervisor for Northbuild, the builders responsible for Gilston State School’s new facilities.

“BER has helped out the building industry no end, with about 120 local tradespeople employed on the construction work at Gilston State School.” said Craig.

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