Schools
21 October, 2025
Harlin kids climb high with $360K playground
HARLIN State School proudly celebrated the official opening of its new, $360,000 playground on Friday, October 17, marking an exciting and long-awaited milestone for students and the community.
For over 30 years, the previous playground served generations of students, but had become outdated and noncompliant with modern standards.
The newly unveiled facility is now much bigger and off ers a diverse range of equipment and sensory play areas, designed to cater to students from Prep to Year 6, off ering something special for every child.
Principal Jo McCormick highlighted how rare such signifi cant upgrades are, commenting that the school community had been waiting decades for this kind of major improvement.
“We are incredibly lucky, but we’re also very deserving of this amazing playground,” she said.
“The kids have been playing on it non-stop since they fi nished the installation over the school holidays.
“I was so worried that the senior kids weren’t going to get time to use it, but it was so good to have it done ahead of schedule.”
School Captain Henrietta, thanked the Queensland Government and the school staff for the work they put into the facility.
“I hope everyone appreciates and enjoys the new playground,” she said. “And I just really want to say thank you, because it’s awesome to have such a fun, new space, even though I’m only here for a term of it.”
State Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, said the small school of just 21 students is the “most fortunate” primary school in Queensland, for having such great new equipment.
“I have not seen a playground like this in many schools,” she said. “Congratulations for the hard work in putting the application in.
“You’re very well deserving for this amazing playground and make sure that you use it each and every day, because it is so much fun.”
Former Harlin student, Geoff Smith, attended the school in 1956 and was the guest of honour at the opening ceremony, having recalled all the school had when he attended was a see-saw and a swing set.
The upgrade was made possible thanks to the State Government’s School Playground and Tuckshop Upgrades program.
