Stage one clearing at Ormiston College is complete. The college confirmed on June 1 that initial vegetation removal had concluded and work vehicles had left the site, marking the end of a period that saw graffiti appear on school grounds, clearing temporarily suspended after a koala was found on site, and police called after a person scaled the fence.
Read: Ormiston College Master Plan Approved with Koala Habitat Conditions Attached
The bayside private school’s expansion was approved by the state through a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation, a lawful Queensland planning mechanism that allowed the project to proceed outside the standard local council approval pathway.
The approval gave the green light for more than 650 trees to be removed to make way for new sporting facilities, a boarding house, expanded teaching areas and an early learning centre. Community members opposed to the development argued the process had sidelined Redland City’s role in the decision.
Trouble flared in late May when the phrase “Leave Koalas Alone” appeared in spray paint at several visible points around the school grounds.
Community campaign holds firm, but distances itself from vandalism
Organised koala advocacy groups moved swiftly to separate themselves from the spray paint. In a public statement, a campaign spokesperson made clear the working group had no involvement in the incident and did not condone property damage in any form. The campaign said it would continue to pursue its goals through peaceful and lawful means.
The vandalism nonetheless lit up social media, dividing opinion sharply. Some online voices argued the impending loss of a significant stretch of koala habitat was a more serious matter than a few lines of graffiti. The graffiti drew fierce backlash from others on social media. The college disabled comments on its Facebook page, stating that the wellbeing of its students and school community was its first priority.
A koala, a fence jumper and questions about response times
The most notable incident during the clearing period came on May 26, when a fauna spotter discovered a young male koala occupying a tree that was among the next group earmarked for removal. People who witnessed the scene claimed it took close to an hour for clearing to be suspended and a protective barrier established around the tree. The college has made no public comment on the timeline of that response. On the same day, a person who had entered the site by climbing the fence was spoken to by police.
The college has been consistent in its defence of the project, arguing the expansion is essential to keep pace with student numbers projected to top 1,600. Ecological reports commissioned for the development characterised the area as a movement corridor for koalas rather than core breeding habitat, a distinction the college has cited in response to conservation concerns.
Conditions tied to the state approval require the college to carry out clearing in stages, deploy wildlife spotters throughout, and establish a minimum of 526 koala food trees as part of an offset program.
Read: Koala Habitat at Centre of Ormiston College Expansion Dispute
Before works began, conservation advocates had taken their opposition to Parliament House in Brisbane, contending that the Ormiston site sits within a meaningful koala travel corridor connecting broader habitat across the Redlands. Community members opposed to the project also raised concerns that the ministerial approval route had sidelined local council oversight.
The college has pointed residents to its Master Plan Information Hub for ongoing project updates as stage two preparations get underway.
Featured image credit: Google Maps/Ormiston College
Published 4-June-2026
