The school had a strong multicultural composition as many European migrants had settled in Orange after World War II and housing was built for them in the city's east.

[citation needed] Canobolas High School was officially opened on 7 December 1968 by NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Science, Charles Cutler ED.

[6] Canobolas High School started with three buildings: A, B and C blocks, and initially lacked landscaping.

Some of the school's early students helped to plant trees to provide windbreaks and landscaping, and to block the view of Orange City General Cemetery.

[9] The school gained nationwide media attention when the canteen doubled its sales after offering fresh fruit, vegetables and other health foods as alternatives to unhealthy traditional Australian school canteen foods such as meat pies and sausage rolls.