Tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to Northside

I am a Northside Alumnus (Class of 2004), having gone to the school from preschool through to Year 12 and I currently attend Nexus Church. Since I finished High School, I’ve completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Property Economics), a Master of Business Administration and am currently a Director with Queensland Treasury in the Investment Transactions team.

What is the Property Committee, what is your role in it, who else is on the committee and what does the committee do?

The Property Committee provides advice to the Northside Board on capital works and property matters, based on a long term vision and master plan for improvement and growth of the school. We aim to facilitate major projects and develop plans and strategies for the next 20+ years. The committee is made up of external members with construction or property experience and key Northside and Nexus staff. I am currently chair of the committee and the other members include Leighton Kuss, Richard Segers, Tony Payne, Albert Brown, Warwick Spackman, Phil Stay, Nathan Scott and James Stay. Carl Wood also deserves a special mention, he’s an Elder and Director at Nexus and while not currently on the Property Committee, he’s led a lot of the planning work over the past few years and continues to be a key member of our group.

How and why did you get involved with the Property Committee that oversees the campus development?

I was invited onto the committee in 2012, and was able to apply my property experience to a campus which means a lot to me.

What are the big projects on the horizon?

The big projects on the medium-term horizon are the Junior School Parklands and Stage 3 of the CINC. My favourite projects though are the plans to get a full-sized sports field and direct access to Keona road which we are currently working through planning approvals with the State.

How do these projects fit into the master planning of the campus?

The sports field is a good example of how individual projects fit in with the master planning of the campus. Improving sports facilities has been a long term aim for the committee and we’ve continued to take steps towards that. Back in 2014 we drafted a report analysing the pros and cons of surrounding properties to identify which ones to buy, and over the next few years, as properties became available, we were able to expand our footprint, update our masterplan and then seek planning approval (which is a very long process). We use these plans to help guide what we deliver over the next 20+ years.

Parking on campus currently is an issue we are trying to address, are there any plans to improve this?

We are currently planning a second vehicle access point via Keona road and a new pedestrian access point on Flockton Street, these changes should improve internal traffic flow and safety for the campus. Both are currently in the process of seeking planning approvals.

What importance does fundraising have and how are the funds from the Foundation used for building the campus?

Any monies raised through fundraising are tax-deductable and are of great assistance to improving the facilities available for Northside students, creating a lasting legacy across multiple generations. You can donate here. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Northside Christian College is a great school, it has been built on a strong foundation of prayer and effort over 35 years. The Property Committee wants to continue to build on that foundation to benefit the students of today, tomorrow and a hundred years from now.