Brisbane South State Secondary College

Brisbane South State Secondary College
Location
179 Annerley Road

Dutton Park
,
Queensland
,
4102

Australia
Information
TypeState School
Mottoes
  • The New Standard
  • Novo Discere Mundo
Established1 January 2021
Educational authority
Department of Education (Queensland)
School code
00608A
Principal
Brendan Barlow
Enrolment1240 (As of 2025)

Brisbane South State Secondary College (BSSSC) is a co-educational, state secondary school, located in Dutton Park, Queensland, Australia. It was built with the purpose of taking the stress off nearby high school, Brisbane State High School, due to Brisbane's growing population. While BSSSC accepts all students from inside the catchment zone, the college offers two selective entry programs,[1] the AFL Academy,[2] and the Biomedical Science Academy (provided in collaboration with the University of Queensland). Since 2022, BSSSC has been a Microsoft Showcase School.[3]

History

Originally named Inner-City South State Secondary College (ICSSSC), the Queensland Government announced plans for a new school located in the Brisbane Knowledge Corridor.[4] The proposal was part of an initiative to relieve enrolment pressure on Brisbane State High School and cater to population growth, with the master plan being developed in 2019. The school was established in January 2021, opening with 203 foundation year 7 students and adding a new year level each year until full operation in 2026. Despite the school being built to ease enrolment pressure off nearby schools, approximately 65% of those students were estimated to reside outside of the school's catchment zone.[5] The $153.78-million school was officially opened on June 7, 2022, by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Education Minister Grace Grace.[6][7]

Architecture

Brisbane South State Secondary College was built by Broad Construction and designed by Plus Studio. The college is seven stories tall, standing at 33 metres.[8] BSSSC was built as a vertical school in order to be as efficient as possible with the limited land they had available at their disposal to build the campus.[8] Because of this, the school features concrete columns running through every level and notable metal fence around each level. 

Student body

The college is currently on its first year of grade 12 students, the cohort being led by school captains David, Ananya, Batoul and Isaac[9] which have helped to create the school culture and bring out student voice. The student population as of 2026 is 1236: 649 male and 587 female[10]

Culture

The school has developed into hosting and participating in community events. To celebrate the annual Brisbane Riverfire event, the school opens outside of school hours and hosts events such as student music displays and stalls selling food and drink, and opens the upper level to watch Riverfire's flyovers and fireworks[11]

The front of Brisbane South State Secondary College in 2024.

References

  1. ↑ "Excellence programs". Brisbane South State Secondary College. 2022-04-25. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  2. ↑ Strohfeldt, Catherine (2026-04-08). "Brisbane's youngest state school fills in, but pressure still on city's south". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  3. ↑ "Brisbane South SSC Celebrates Microsoft Showcase School Status for Another Year!". Brisbane South State Secondary College. 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  4. ↑ "Brisbane's knowledge corridor: A framework for connecting people, places and ideas" (PDF). Brisbane City Council. December 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2026-06-09. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  5. ↑ O'Flaherty, Antonia (2021-02-22). "Students at Brisbane's new inner-city state schools from outside catchment zone despite enrolment pressure". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  6. ↑ "Brisbane South State Secondary College officially opened". Ministerial Media Statements. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  7. ↑ "Brisbane South State Secondary College: Now Open in Dutton Park". Annerley News. 2022-06-07. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
  8. 1 2 "Brisbane South State Secondary College". Plus Studio®. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
  9. ↑ "BSSSC College Captains Featured in Courier Mail". Brisbane South State Secondary College. 2025-09-16. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
  10. ↑ AU, SchoolScan. "Brisbane South State Secondary College | ICSEA and enrolment data". SchoolScan AU. Retrieved 2026-08-22.
  11. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-08-22.

27°29′45″S 153°01′36″E / 27.49583°S 153.02667°E / -27.49583; 153.02667