Avondale University is the only private university in New South Wales affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Founded in 1897, it grew out of the original Adventist settlement here and remains the spiritual and institutional heart of Cooranbong. The campus spreads across a leafy site on the eastern edge of town, with a mix of Victorian-era wooden buildings and more recent structures.
The grounds are open to visitors and worth a short walk. The original buildings from the settlement's founding years have been preserved, and the campus is well-maintained and peaceful. The university has about 1,600 students and runs courses in education, theology, nursing, and the arts. Most locals have some connection to it — either they studied there or their parents did.