After 64 years, The Forest High School is farewelling its site next to Northern Beaches Hospital. Catherine Lewis investigates what this means for the school and town centre waiting to shoot up in its place.
On a February afternoon in 1961, Sydney’s last tram pulled out of the city, shuttering a tramway system second only to London. Elsewhere, Parkes radio-telescope opened, eight years prior to its historic receiving of the first moon landing.
Closer to home, the brand-new Frenchs Forest High School – later The Forest High School – welcomed its first 318 students and 14 staff, under Edward George Bell, former headmaster of Fairfield Boys’ High.
Six decades on, as the school readies to vacate, a town centre and thousands of homes wait in the wings, but developer dismay over Northern Beaches Council’s (NBC) affordable housing contribution scheme is hindering progress around the old school site.
It all began in 1958 as a twinkle in the eye of The Forest High School Promotion Committee as they pushed for co-education in the Frenchs Forest area. By 1963, three of the school’s major buildings were complete and enrolments had tripled to 963, large enough to warrant an official opening by the Governor of NSW, Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Woodward.
Last month’s ‘Last Hurrah,’ hosted by the P&C – headed up by Kelly Barr Jones, herself part of a third generation Forest High family whose children, husband Gregg and mother-in-law attended – welcomed back some of those first students to ‘celebrate and farewell’ the site. Next year it will relocates to a new 4.5ha home at 187 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights, within the current intake area.
Inspirational teaching is what stands out for Gregg during 1984 to 1988. “My technology teachers were great and really dialled into students that were not academic,” he remembers “People like Steve Davis, Gary Smith and Ron Clarke were a God send and I thank my stars that these teachers existed.
“Getting caught smoking in the bush by (former deputy principal) Errol Duck-Chong was also another lasting memory,” laughs Gregg. He tells PL that the move brings mixed emotions. “(I feel) a bit sad as I thought this school would have been in that location for many more years, but the new location is fantastic, with a great view and the new facilities will be very much welcomed.”
In agreement is Wakehurst MP Michael Regan. “The new campus is a huge win for local families,” he says. “Students will finally get the modern classrooms, specialist spaces and safer access they deserve, right near the new town centre. It also means the old site can be used in a much smarter way to help ease local housing pressures.”
The new school will boast flexible learning spaces for a projected 1,847 students by 2036, library, canteen, multi- purpose hall, outdoor sports courts and landscaped recreation and outdoor learning spaces. The site is underpinned by clean energy, targeting ‘5 Star Green Star’ accreditation through solar panels and water tanks. There will be underground parking for 121 vehicles to cater for a doubling of staff, while sports facilities will be open after hours and at weekends for community use.
Brick Pit reserve was upgraded this year in anticipation of the Frenchs Forest revitalisation
The Forest High School Library.
It’s a bittersweet step for many, including Principal Nathan Lawler who has steered the school to success since officially taking the helm in 2023 following several years as relieving principal. The highs include a Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement at last year’s Public Education Awards. Principal Lawler has masterminded a weekly exercise ‘Boot Camp’ for local Year 6s and Forest High students, to ease transition from primary to high school, while the Trailblazer program – link-ups between current senior students and former HSC high achievers – has boosted academic performance and self-growth.
“Since the inception of the Trailblazer program, a high percentage of Year 12s have ranked in the top 20% of the state in the HSC in multiple subjects,” says Principal Lawler, with the program receiving the Secretary’s Award for Outstanding School Initiative in 2020. “We currently have three past students employed as Trailblazers who will go on to apply their skills as teachers once they graduate from university.”
State Government is all for this ‘rebuilding of public education,’ assigning $49 million towards the expected $112.5 million construction cost. “The 2024/2025 Budget is delivering record education funding, including $8.9 billion for new and upgraded schools and this targeted investment will ensure growing communities get access to a world class public education,” says the Department of Education. Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car called it an ‘investment in students and local families and a revitalised, more connected Frenchs Forest community.’
It is this that the Frenchs Forest 2041 Place Strategy – within the Hospital Precinct Structure Plan – is hoping to achieve. Under a 20-year framework to ‘gradually’ redevelop Frenchs Forest town centre, the plan comprises 2,000 new homes (1,000 in the town centre, 1,000 in the adjacent residential area) alongside 1.5 hectares of open public space, shops and restaurants. More than 2,000 jobs, improved cycling and walkways, new bus interchange and direct access to the city are also on the cards – all part of $37m in Special Infrastructure Contributions scheme improvements.
The Forest High School’s 1973 basketball team and original 1964 official opening program
One major proposed development will span four residential lots at the intersection of Frenchs Forest Road West and Gladys Avenue, with nine apartments for community public housing and 21 for affordable aimed at key workers. There will also be an approved 55-room affordable housing project on Gladys Avenue for hospital staff. Bluegum Crescent has an approved development application for 44 apartments, while upgrades to local parks including Akora and Rabbett Reserves are planned in the vein of Brick Pit Reserve’s makeover, funded by the Department of Planning in anticipation of the new Frenchs Forest – identified as a ‘strategic centre’ in the Greater Sydney Region Plan – taking shape.
Bent out of shape are the developers behind these proposed builds. They say that council’s Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme – the highest in Greater Sydney – which aims to ensure 250 dwellings aimed at local essential workers, now isn’t feasible in light of rate and construction cost rises.
Frenchs Forest town centre development must include a 15% affordable housing contribution, as either homes dedicated to council or equivalent cash injection. “I’ve met with local landowners who are stuck in limbo with developers who don’t want to purchase their land due to the affordable housing contribution and thus face uncertainty,” says Greens Councillor for Frenchs Forest, Ethan Hrnjack.
At a meeting on 18 November, council agreed to drop the 10% affordable housing contribution for areas adjacent to the town centre to 3%. This will now go to Planning Minister Paul Scully for Gateway Determination, and then a public consultation. Greens councillor Kristyn Glanville is already urging residents to ‘push back’ and demand more ambitious targets, suggesting an interim rate of 3% which would rise to 5% after three years – a proposal council knocked back.
There is no question about the need for affordable homes on the Beaches. Michael Regan says that there are more than 8,000 people on the waiting list for social and affordable housing.
“I have been very clear with the State Government that we need a serious component of affordable housing on that (original Forest High) land for nurses, ambos, bus drivers, teachers and police, not just more high-end apartments,” he tells PL.
What both sides can agree on is the desire to see Frenchs Forest flourish. As MP Regan says: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver great public education and well-located homes for the people who keep our community running.”
At the time of writing, the start date of The Forest High School had not been confirmed by the Department of Education, but the site is expected to open in the first half of 2026.
