Students head back to classrooms after rebuild

STUDENTS from three Northern Rivers schools are back in their classrooms after the completion of flood restoration work.

Wardell Public School and Empire Vale Public School have been rebuilt using flood-resilient design, and flood repair work was completed at Mullumbimby High School earlier this year.

The historic Empire Vale Public School has been an important part of the community for nearly 150 years, and the rebuild allowed for the retention of the original school building.

Principal Bonita Avery said losing the school in the 2022 floods had a huge impact on the community and they looked forward to starting a new chapter at the school.

At Wardell Public School, the newly rebuilt school includes four new classrooms, a new library, canteen, front office, administration and staff areas, and the continuation of Jumbunna Sugartown Preschool next to the school site.

Key resilience measures at the two primary schools include raising core school facilities off the ground on a steel structure, using resilient materials throughout the new buildings and designing downstairs amenities that were easy to clean and restore if inundated with water.

Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin welcomed the students back to the schools.

“These communities have shown tremendous strength in difficult circumstances,” she said.