BY IAN CROUCH

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Catherine Cusack will join Port Stephens Mayor, Ryan Palmer to turn the first sod to mark the start of construction of the multi-million dollar dollar Tomaree Connected Learning Centre at Salamander Bay today.

The $7 million dollar TAFE Centre allows students to learn with a teacher and other students in a virtual online classroom.

It will allow local students to connect online to TAFE courses not offered in the Hunter region to other colleges across the state where those courses are offered.

The Tomaree CLC was promised by the government at the last election.