Willyama High School rebuild

The department has undertaken extensive community consultation and engagement since the rebuild of Willyama High School was announced in early 2024, including 128 face-to-face consultation meetings and 2 information sessions held in September 2024 and March 2025.  

The community feedback that has been adopted to date includes:   ​  

• master planning for future expansion
• adapting and enhancing science general learning classrooms to enable practical activities (in addition to the 2 science labs) ​  
• additional staff study space and the provision of smaller more distinct spaces ​  
• accessible Support Learning Unit ​with outdoor sensory garden  
• additional outdoor shading and shelter​  
• new designated space for the Oasis wellness hub ​  
• consideration of the school’s timetable requirements.  

The school is being built to accommodate 730 students when it opens, noting current enrolments are about 570 students. The school has been master planned to allow future expansion should Broken Hill’s population exceed current projections.  

School Infrastructure is progressing the design in preparation for the statutory planning application, incorporating feedback from previous consultation where possible.  We will continue to work with school leadership to refine and finalise the design later this year.    

Students and staff will also have an opportunity to provide further input into specific aspects of the school’s design, such as the color scheme and locations for murals and student artwork.  

We will keep the community updated as the project progresses.  

The demolition contract was awarded to McMahon Services on 25 March 2025 with site establishment commencing shortly after.  

Hazardous material and strip out of the building’s interior is currently underway with heavy demolition expected to take place from July 2025.

A construction contractor is anticipated to be appointed by mid-2025, with construction starting by 2026.  We anticipate that the school will be open in early 2027. 

A more detailed timeline will be shared with the community when we have statutory planning approval and have appointed a construction contractor. The indicative timeline may change depending on a range of factors including environmental conditions, statutory planning requirements, and unforeseen site issues. 

Once rebuilt, the new state-of-the-art Willyama High School will have impressive educational facilities, and all the features required to deliver the curriculum, including industry-standard construction and wood and metal workshops, agricultural plot, and a commercial kitchen for hospitality training.   

These facilities will support the strong focus on vocational education in Broken Hill and help students prepare for careers in trades, industries, and hospitality, which are key areas of interest in the region.  

The new school will comply with accessibility requirements, providing a safe and inclusive environment for students of all abilities. This includes accessible parking, classrooms, and specialist facilities designed to accommodate and support students with additional needs. 

The new design will include a purpose-built wellbeing hub and culturally safe spaces for Aboriginal students and families, with Connections to Country embedded within the design, and areas for socialisation and recreation.  

These facilities are integral to supporting student mental health and fostering a strong sense of cultural identity and belonging within the school community.   

The new school will include climate-responsive features such as air conditioning, openable windows for natural ventilation, and covered walkways. We are also exploring measures that go beyond the standard design guidelines to enhance the school’s ability to handle extreme weather conditions common in Broken Hill.  

This includes locating heating and cooling on each level of the main learning building as well as the hall, extending the roof line over the learning building to manage direct sunlight on windows, and providing additional outdoor shaded space. 

The new school will be environmentally friendly, with on-roof solar energy systems and rainwater tanks installed.