Emily Centre Development Update
Significant progress has been made on the Emily Centre over the holiday period, with builders completing a wide range of key works that have moved the project firmly into its final stages.
Holiday Period Works Completed
During the break, construction activity focused on major external and internal elements, including:
- External civil works and ground preparation for landscaping
- External painting and rendering
- Installation of floor coverings throughout the centre
- Completion of timber decking and kerbing
- Installation of signage and the Donor Wall
- Implementation of the security system
- Completion of the first defect review and associated rectifications
These works represent an important milestone as the building transitions from construction toward operational readiness.
Works Currently Underway
The project team is now progressing several remaining elements, including:
- Landscaping works, with lawn and plant installation commencing today
- Integration of the building with the School’s ICT servers
- A second defect review and follow-up fixes
- Finalisation of internal and external signage, including room numbers and building identification
- Installation of trophy display cabinets
From an operational perspective, the School has also begun taking ownership of furniture and equipment for the Emily Centre, a key step toward readiness for occupation.
Site Access and Safety
You may have noticed that the temporary fencing has been removed and replaced with bunting. This change is temporary and has been necessary to facilitate fire testing and council inspections, which require the building to be in a practical, operational state. Fire testing occurred yesterday, with a further test scheduled for Friday.
Once these tests and inspections are complete, the temporary fencing will be reinstated while final defects are addressed, the lawn is allowed to establish, and preparations continue for the Term 2 move-in.
Importantly, despite the temporary removal of fencing, the Emily Centre remains an active building site and must not be accessed. This is essential to ensure the safety of all members of the community.
Traffic, Gates and Transport Arrangements
From next week, the gate on Hallett Road will reopen, while the Ferguson Park gate will be closed on an ongoing basis.
Bus operations will continue in a similar manner to 2025, with buses departing from the bays in the car park in front of Chiverton. This arrangement will remain in place until the majority of buses transition to the Emily Centre car park, which is expected mid–Term 1. At that point, the car park will become semi-operational and will open in stages, initially with limited access to allow careful monitoring of logistics and safety.
Preparing for the Move
Work is continuing on a detailed relocation plan to ensure staff, furniture and equipment are moved into the Emily Centre as soon as practicable and with minimal disruption to School operations. Further updates will be shared as timelines are confirmed.
The Emily Centre is rapidly taking shape, and we thank the community for its patience and cooperation as we move through these final and important stages.