Broadwater Public School students, teachers and parents today celebrated the return to their rebuilt school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the start of a new chapter for the community.
The destructive 2022 floods heavily impacted Broadwater Public School, with the water inundation damaging most of the school’s buildings beyond repair.
The historic local school has now been returned to the local community after just under nine months of intensive building works.
Construction began in July 2024, after the Minns government used enhanced powers under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act to accelerate the planning approval for the school, which has now been returned to the community ahead of schedule.
Resilient
The new school was built with flood resilient design, featuring an elevated building raised approximately four metres above the ground, with three modern, flexible classrooms, a new library, a new canteen, and new administration area.
The building also features a large under cover area, maximising covered play space, as well as a yarning circle and new landscaping, while retaining historic features unique to the Broadwater Public School community, including the well-loved school bell, and the large fig tree, known as the ‘love tree’.
Broadwater Public School is the 14th school rebuild project to be completed following the 2022 floods.
Minister for Recovery and the North Coast Janelle Saffin joined with Member for Clarence Richie Williamson and members of the school community to celebrate the school’s grand opening and view the new facilities.
Minister Saffin said, ‘Today is the day that we have all been patiently waiting for. It’s great to see Broadwater Public School rebuilt, and to see local kids back in their local school’s classrooms again.
‘I want to thank the tradies who worked so hard to get the school rebuilt and reopened after just nine months of building work. They’ve built a place which will give our students a safe and modern learning environment, with space for them to connect to each other and grow.
‘This isn’t just about rebuilding Broadwater Public; it’s about learning the lessons of the 2022 floods to make our communities more flood resilient. That’s why we’ve raised the new school building by four metres.’
Member for Clarence Richie Williamson said, ‘Seeing students back in their classrooms today is truly heartwarming.’
Celebration
Relieving Broadwater Public School Principal Bronwyn Cole said, ‘Today is a day of celebration and gratitude for our school community.
‘After all the challenges we have faced, it is wonderful to welcome students back to a school designed with their future in mind,’ she said.
‘It is a joy to walk through the school gates and see the happy faces of our students and staff. Teachers are making their classrooms feel like home, and students are excited to settle into their new learning and play spaces after seeing the incredible rebuild process unfold over the past months.
‘We are grateful for the support that has made this possible and for everyone who played a role in rebuilding our school,’ said Principal Cole. ‘This is a fresh start, and we look forward to all the opportunities that lie ahead.’
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