School, pool saved as state government sells off abandoned campus
The Queensland government is selling Griffith University’s abandoned Mount Gravatt campus south of Brisbane with strict conditions.
The old, decaying campus, located in Toohey Forest near the summit of Mount Gravatt, has been put up for sale on the condition that Yarranlea Primary School, the swimming pool and tennis center on the site remain in working order.
The government will retain ownership of the forest area of 42 hectares.
The 55-year-old campus closed last year as Griffith University pooled resources at its much larger Brisbane South campus in Nathan and its new Brisbane City campus, due to open in the historic Treasury Building in the CBD in 2027.
Nearly 1,000 people have signed a petition calling on the state government to find a new operator for the swimming pool, saying the aquatic center is an important community space for residents and school students.
The government will sell ownership of the university campus and recreation area on the condition that the primary school and sports facilities remain operational.
“This is about providing certainty for the pupils, parents and teachers of Yarranlea Primary School and delivering an exciting new space for the community that will future-proof existing facilities,” Natural Resources Minister Dale Last said.
If it weren’t located on a mountain and surrounded by bushes, this area would be prime real estate; This made it a high wildfire danger area. But that hasn’t stopped developers and public housing advocates from eyeing large tracts of state land.
Nine buildings remain, including abandoned student dormitories, auditoriums and lecture halls, as well as Yarranlea Primary School.
The sports and recreation area includes a 25-metre pool and aquatic centre, a 12-court tennis centre, outdoor basketball and netball courts and a rugby pitch.
in it information noteThe government said it would not provide any funding to the development of the site and was “seeking the private market to undertake private investment and development of the Gravatt Mountain site”.
“The procurement process for this project is designed to accelerate the sale of the educational district and sports precinct to interested parties and bring the site into operation as quickly as possible,” he says.
“Located just nine kilometers south-east of the Brisbane CBD, the site offers exceptional connectivity, proximity to key transport corridors and access to a thriving community, making it an ideal location for education, innovation and community-led development.”
Yarranlea School board director Adrienne Innes welcomed the assurance that the unique, independent school would remain open.
“Our community loves this small school and the well-rounded education and well-being it provides for children,” he said.
“We look forward to working with both the state government and the future owner to ensure our school grows and thrives for years to come.”
The former Labor state government has canceled plans to convert disused student accommodation into emergency housing due to concerns about potential bushfire risk.
The plan was hastily announced following the former Palaszczuk government’s housing roundtable in 2022, then scrapped after it was determined it would cost too much to bring the buildings up to standard, but $2.1 million had already been spent on redevelopment works going nowhere.
Urban researcher and Griffith University adjunct professor Matthew Burke said the campus’s good public transport links made it an ideal location for a selective high school or training academy.
“It’s an old asset that needs to be pumped into with some money if old buildings are to be preserved,” he told this imprint last year.
Expressions of interest will close on March 13, 2026, with the government due to approve the sale in April.
Start your day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
