Keelong, the former juvenile detention centre, is to become a school for turning out the next generation of master chefs.The plan is the brainchild of former Wollongong lord mayor George Harrison and his family.They've been identified as the owners of the site at Cordeaux Heights, buying it for $2.75 million at auction earlier this month.The Harrisons have declared their intention to use the site to set up a catering college.
Keelong sells for $2.75 million Extra security as detainees leave Keelong"We think there is a big demand for a catering college," Mr Harrison said.Son Andrew, who manages the Lagoon Restaurant and was last year named as the Illawarra's Young Business Person of the Year, said he was excited by the project, which they expect to get off the ground within 12 months."It is a big step forward for our family," Andrew admitted. "Hopefully we can make it work."We had the plan well before the MasterChef phenomenon started, but it is exciting times in the culinary industry."People are coming in to watch the chefs and are asking a lot more questions. There is definitely a lot more interest in food."Located on the Cordeaux Heights side of Staff Rd, the Keelong site comprises 6ha of residential real estate.But it also includes about 5000sqm of existing buildings, including office space, a commercial kitchen and coolrooms.George Harrison said the family would be looking for other tenants to share the site.With playing fields, tennis courts and workshops among the facilities available, Mr Harrison said it was ideally suited for utilisation as a training centre of some kind.Mr Harrison controversially vacated the lord mayor's chair in 2002 and said he had no intention of making a return to public office."I'm relishing life without the Mercury," he laughed, before adding, "I gave it the best I could."Keelong was established in 1978 as the first juvenile justice centre in the state.It was closed as part of the Department of Juvenile Justice's 2008-09 restructure to focus resources on custodial service growth areas in western Sydney and western NSW.
