Aurora College opened in 2005, although it has a history extending back to 1912. It was formed from the merger of Mt Anglem College and Tweedsmuir Junior High School, on the former Mt Anglem site. Mt Anglem College had operated for only six years, having opened in 1999 following the merger of Kingswell and Cargill High Schools on the existing Kingswell site. Cargill High School was the successor school to Southland College (formerly Southland Technical College) after the latter site become part of
Southland Polytechnic in 1978. Kingswell High School, which was established in 1971, was built to the S68 plan which is characterised by single-storey classroom blocks of concrete block construction, with low-pitched roofs and internal open courtyards. == Enrolment ==