Ormiston College has attributed much of the community opposition to its approved campus expansion to what it describes as misinformation, claiming that details of the project’s commitment to retaining a koala corridor have not been widely understood in the community.
Read: Conservation Battle Comes to a Head as Ormiston College Finishes First Round of Vegetation Removal
Headmaster Michael Hornby said there had never been any intention to remove all vegetation from the site, and that around 80 per cent of the existing vegetation area would remain intact. He said a number of people who had visited the site after raising strong objections were surprised by how much of the corridor was being preserved.
The college has since announced plans to install posters along the site fences to communicate the scope of the works to residents passing by.
What the Master Plan outlines
According to the college’s master plan, approximately one fifth of the area being cleared falls within the identified koala transit corridor. The remaining 80 per cent of koala transit zones across the campus are stated to remain untouched throughout the development.
Of around 600 trees earmarked for clearing across the project, 50 were classified as koala preferred food trees. The college states it has committed to planting 526 new preferred koala food trees within the existing corridor as an offset measure. Vegetation clearing has been carried out in stages, with no more than 50 per cent cleared at any one time and mandatory overnight rest periods between stages, in accordance with the college’s koala conservation plan.
On the question of approvals, the college states that the project followed the only lawful process available under Queensland planning legislation. Because koala corridor areas came under State jurisdiction in 2020, the development required a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation rather than a local council approval. Oodgeroo MP Amanda Stoker referenced the 80 per cent vegetation retention figure during a recent speech in State Parliament.
Works ahead and a wildlife corridor in the pipeline
Stage one clearing is now complete. Stage two, covering oval earthworks and fencing, was expected to begin in late June or early July 2026, based on the timeline Mr Hornby outlined. The fencing is to be designed with provisions allowing koalas to move through the site.
Construction of an enhanced wildlife corridor is anticipated to begin around September or October this year. Mr Hornby described it as a significant undertaking in its own right.
Read: Ormiston College Master Plan Approved with Koala Habitat Conditions Attached
The college’s comments come amid ongoing protests from environmental campaigners over the impact of the clearing on local koala habitat. The college says it remains committed to ongoing communication with the wider community as the next stages of development proceed.
Photo credit: Google Maps/Ormiston College
Published 11-June-2026
