Regional schools are different from metropolitan ones. The investment is proportionally larger, the community stake is higher, and the school's role extends well beyond education – it's a civic anchor, a source of local pride, and often the place a town points to when it talks about its future.

For a town of 9,000 on the NSW south coast, the Bomaderry High School upgrade is the biggest capital works project in years.

In the new Technological & Applied Studies (TAS) building workshops are equipped with industry-standard equipment for hands on learning in woodwork, metalwork, and food technology. Students build practical skills with direct pathways to local employment and further education – investment that gives young people a reason to stay in the region and strengthens the local economy.

A new administration hub creates a welcoming ‘front door, enhancing the school’s role as a central and vibrant part of its community and dramatically improving staff workspaces.

Forty-six existing classrooms have been refurbished, and new lifts make the campus fully accessible for the first time. The design works with the existing campus, acknowledging its built heritage while bringing facilities into line with contemporary learning and community expectations.

Stakeholder engagement was central: school leaders in regional communities know what’s what, and our approach was to listen before drawing.