New flood-resilient classrooms roll in

STUDENTS and staff at Condong Public School in the Tweed hinterland have welcomed the delivery of new flood-resilient classroom modules.

The installation of the buildings, which are being lifted onto a raised steel gantry, will take place in two stages, with the next phase scheduled for mid-August.

Relieving principal Debbie Francis said watching the trucks arrive and seeing the cranes at work was exciting for students.

“We are all looking forward to the day when our new school becomes a permanent, safe and welcoming home for our students, designed specifically to meet the needs of our community,” she said.

Minister for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said the school would serve the community long into the future.

“I know how important this rebuild is for the Condong community because I saw how many people turned up for the sod-turning to mark the start of works,” she said.

Nearby Tumbulgum Public School will soon follow suit, with the school’s modules manufactured off-site and ready for installation late next month.

Relieving principal Genevieve Esgate said the school community had endured a great deal.

“This will be a major milestone in our community’s recovery and a big step towards returning to a more permanent, flood-resilient school environment where our students can continue to learn, grow, and thrive,” Esgate said.

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said rebuilding schools devastated by the 2022 floods was among the state government’s top priorities.

“Watching these schools emerge out of the flood waters must be reaffirming for the students, teachers, parents and communities,” she said.

The new buildings will be raised above the previous flood level, making them more flood resilient, with the project to provide modern classrooms, a new library, a canteen, administration spaces and external landscaping.

Both schools are expected to be completed later this year.