Remediating, repairing and rebuilding flood-affected schools
The NSW Department of Education coordinates the emergency, recovery and resilience response to support flood and weather-impacted school communities across the state.
Central, Western, and Northern regions
Flooding and weather events in late 2022 impacted several schools in the Central and Western regions.
School Infrastructure (SI) supported impacted schools to be open for learning with as little impact to operations as possible.
Current remeditation, repair and rebuild work
Some work to repair damage and rebuild is still ongoing at the following schools:
- Eugowra Public School was affected with external flooding to grounds. Remediation work is well progressed, and the fencing and soft fall playground have been replaced. Work to replace the synthetic turf and bitumen areas in the playground are planned for the Summer 2023-24 holiday period to minimise impact on school operations.
- Eugowra Community Children's Centre (ECCC) was significantly impacted by flooding on 14 November 2022, and the site has been non-operational since this incident. ECCC has been operating from Eugowra Public School since the end of 2022, while we worked to establish a temporary facility at the Eugowra Showground with key partners. Visit the Eugowra Public School page for more information.
From mid-2023, Cabonne Council took ownership of the temporary facilities we installed at the Showground. For all updates and information on the progress to open the ECCC from the Showground, please contact the ECCC or Cabonne Council directly. - Forbes Public School was significantly impacted by the flooding. A temporary school was constructed and opened to students on the first day of Term 1 2023. Focus since has been on planning the remediation of the original site after it was determined many of the buildings are salvageable and could be restored.
In depth expert assessments are complete and planning is underway on work to restore many of the school buildings. This is anticipated to start in 2024. - Molong Central School’s agricultural plot (which is on a separate site to the school itself) suffered significant damage during the floods. The agricultural farm is now made safe and has been isolated via temporary fencing.
We are working with Molong Central School and loss assessors on a proposal to relocate the agricultural plot.
Completed remeditation, repair and rebuild work
The below schools were impacted and remediation and repair work is complete:
- Bedgerebong Public School was isolated due to flooding in the area, but the school was not directly impacted.
- Condobolin High School had damage limited to the sport field, and several sheds and pump motors. We worked closely with school leadership teams so that all students returned to onsite teaching and learning on Day 1 Term 1 2023.
- Moree Secondary College, Albert Street campus had an extensive external site clean-up process prior to Term 1 starting. All recovery works, including the installation of new air conditioners, have now been completed.
Northern Rivers region
Following extensive flooding in the Northern Rivers region in February and March 2022, the NSW Department of Education started planning for the remediation and rebuilding of 21 schools that were extensively, largely or moderately impacted.
Work on 12 of the schools that were either largely or moderately damaged is now complete, with improved designs to ensure flood resilience. Work on the remaining 9 schools, which were extensively damaged, is well underway with the rebuilding of Empire Vale Public School and Wardell Public School’s now complete. You can find out more about these schools by clicking on the tabs below.
Nine 'extensive' damaged schools will be rebuilt by our major works team. The schools, which sustained significant structural damage, will be built back better and support the long term educational needs of the community.
Updates
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Seven 'large' damaged schools require significant remediation, repair or refurbishment works which will be managed by the NSW Public Works Advisory. Where possible, buildings will be made more flood resilient and there are opportunities to improve the design and layout of new and refurbished facilities.
Five ‘moderate’ damaged schools require remediation works to areas of the school sites and building and are being delivered by the local School Infrastructure office. As a precautionary measure, teams will continue to conduct ongoing surveillance activities of flood impacted areas of the schools.
Non-operational schools
Get up-to-date information on schools that have temporarily ceased operations due to adverse weather, bushfire, emergencies or other incidents.
