Designs for the rebuild of Lismore’s Richmond River High campus are available for the public to see, four months after fire severely damaged the school’s main historic building.
The campus hasn’t been used for classes since the 2022 Northern Rivers flood and landslide disasters.
Police in early April said this year’s fire was suspected of being deliberately lit.
Richmond River High is one of 21 schools listed as suffering significant damage in the disasters more than three years ago, with the state government last week saying 16 have been repaired or rebuilt.
The public school is to be housed in what the government says will be a world-class campus at a new flood-resilient location in North Lismore.
‘Green and rural feel’ for North Lismore school campus
Richmond River High’s campus is to be part of The Rivers Secondary College campus, alongside Kadina High and Lismore High, with buildings to be on high ground overlooking existing sports fields and green spaces.
The government says buildings will be modular and built off-site while civil infrastructure works are carried out onsite, to expedite delivery.
Campus designs include 36 regular classrooms, three support classrooms, fourteen specialist learning spaces, including science labs and wood and metal workshops, a library, multipurpose hall, performance spaces, sport facilities, agriculture, construction and food technologies.
Planning approval is to be fast-tracked by an extra two months with the rebuild expected to be finished by early 2027.
Labor Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, also the NSW Minister for Disaster Recovery, said as part of last week’s announcement the plans were based on extensive feedback from students, staff, parents, and members of the community.
‘It is so good to see Richmond River High being built back in North Lismore,’ Ms Saffin said, ‘this will be a flood-resilient campus for Lismore and surrounds, serving the local primary schools in the area’.
‘It will maintain a green and rural feel, preserving the character that the community told us during consultation has made Richmond River High important to young people in Lismore for so many years.’
Designs can be accessed via the NSW Planning Portal until 21 August.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
