THE genesis of the north’s latest school announced this week for Two Rocks was more than a year ago when Atlantis Beach estate developers considered a private college essential.
Atlantis Beach Baptist College will be built with modular techniques on an 8.5ha bushland site in Breakwater Drive, in readiness for Term 1 next year.
Estate project manager Acumen, which has been in talks with Baptist Schools Network WA and the City of Wanneroo for the past three months, identified a private college as a “strategic driver” for the subdivision.
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READ NOW“It’s a massive impetus for young families to move to the northern part of the corridor,” Acumen principal Jarrod Rendell told the Weekender on Tuesday.
Acumen managing director Nick Perrion said 2017 had been a likely start for the school.
“But they (Baptist Schools) came back to us and said ‘2016 we can do’,” he said.
“They had investigated modular building and now the blowtorch is on us to get the earthworks done by July 1.”
Ausco Modular in O’Connor will work off-site on the buildings and assemble them at Two Rocks.
The college aims to open in February with 200 students from pre-kindergarten to Year 11.
Husband-and-wife team Gary and Carol Harris, of Iluka, will be the foundation principals, with the school to have a capacity of 1500 students.
“We helped start Geelong Baptist College and then Carol was involved in growing Lake Joondalup Baptist College in the primary school,” Mr Harris said.
“I went to Quinns Baptist College and helped grow that up through (Year) 11 and 12. And then we started Alkimos Baptist College as foundation principals.”
Wanneroo Mayor Tracey Roberts was happy the school and estate had used the name of the townsite’s former Atlantis Marine Park.
“The history of Two Rocks is linked to Atlantis,” she said.
“The college is the newest and northernmost private school in our city.
“And the auditorium is going to be used as a church; so it’s great.”
Atlantis Beach has 115 lots ready to be titled in two weeks. The plan is for the release of 6000 over the next 15 to 20 years.