The early concept for Hillcrest Christian College began in the late 1970s when members of Reedy Creek Baptist Church (Palm Beach Baptist, as it was known at the time) raised concerns about the double standards they saw in secular education. They believed that, as parents, it was their responsibility to have a greater involvement in the education of their children and hence established a steering committee for the formation of a Christian School.

Hillcrest Christian College (then known as Southern Gold Coast Christian Community School) took its first students in 1982 when it enrolled 37 children from years 1 – 7. During these early years, the College operated on the Church grounds before moving, in August 1986, to its present site at Reedy Creek. During these years, the school has continued to grow and develop, both in numbers of students and diversity of facilities.

Since its inception, Hillcrest has remained a ministry of Reedy Creek Baptist Church to both the Christian and wider community of the Gold Coast.