Community College Gippsland welcomes $1.89 million investment to expand ECG Secondary College Leongatha campus
Community College Gippsland (CCG) welcomes the Victorian State Government’s announcement of $1.89 million in funding to expand the ECG Secondary College (ECG) Leongatha campus, strengthening the school’s vision of creating safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environments for young people.
Alternative education is becoming increasingly popular across South Gippsland, Baw Baw Shire, Latrobe Valley, and surrounding areas, as more families seek schooling options that better meet the needs of students who may not thrive in traditional classroom settings. ECG provides a flexible, supportive environment where students can rebuild confidence, reconnect with learning, and flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.
The Leongatha expansion will allow the school to accommodate an additional 40+ students, easing enrolment pressure and ensuring more young people can access this thriving model. The project includes new classrooms, upgraded amenities and enhanced learning spaces, including dedicated spaces for Years 9-12, specialist rooms for Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students (VDSS), and facilities designed to support modern learning, wellbeing and engagement.
ECG caters to young people who have found traditional school settings stressful or overwhelming, struggled in large classrooms, or felt disconnected from learning. Alternative schooling is becoming increasingly popular across the region, providing a safe, flexible environment where students can rebuild confidence, reconnect with education, and thrive academically and socially.
Since opening in 2015 with just nine students, the Leongatha campus has grown steadily, now enrolling around 90 students. The introduction of Years 9 and 10 in 2024 was met with strong community demand, achieving a 90% retention rate. While this growth highlights the success of ECG’s model, it also places pressure on existing facilities, which this expansion directly addresses.
The upgraded facilities will also benefit cross-campus activities allowing students to experience the unique learning environments across ECG campuses. With outdoor undercover learning areas, multipurpose hardcourts, upgraded amenities, and a dedicated student lounge, the expansion reinforces ECG’s ongoing commitment to continuously improving its campuses to create safe, inclusive, and purpose-built spaces where students can thrive. This expansion is just one of many planned to meet growing regional demand for alternative secondary education.
Quotes attributable to Dale Gemmell, CEO, Community College Gippsland “ECG is committed to supporting young people to succeed in environments that suit their needs. Alternative education is increasingly valued across the region, and this funding allows us to continue creating safe, inclusive, and engaging spaces where students can thrive.”
“The Leongatha expansion not only provides more student places, it also strengthens our purpose of continuously improving facilities to support learning, wellbeing, and engagement. We’re excited to give more young people the opportunity to benefit from our unique approach to education.”
About Community College Gippsland
Community College Gippsland’s vision is to positively change lives and enhance social inclusion through the transformative power of education. ECG Secondary College, its independent secondary school, provides flexible, supportive, and innovative education for students from Years 9-12, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive in an environment that suits them.