Sites in North Lismore shortlisted for new high school

The NSW Department of Education has identified North Lismore as the preferred location of the rebuild, and it is conducting assessments to confirm the suitability of these sites.

Various factors will influence the decision on the final site, from ecological and geotechnical investigations, planning consent analysis, transport investigations and consultation with technical stakeholders.

The department says "this will ensure the needs of the local community are considered now and into the future and that the best outcome is achieved for the campus and the community".

While the sites are being assessed, the department is "progressing planning and certain design activities for the new campus facilities".

The preferred location for the new school will be announced once confidential elements of the securing the land have been finalised.

Students had been taught at the North Lismore campus for almost 100 years. Despite enduring many floods over the decades, the flood in February 2022 spelt the end of education at that site.

Shortly after the flood, the department announced it was "unlikely" the school could be salvaged, and that was officially confirmed in December 2023.

The statement read: "The review has confirmed it is not viable to rebuild at the original site and the school will not return to the Lake Street location. This is supported by Lismore City Council and the SES."

The NSW Government said it was "committed to rebuilding flood impacted schools in the Northern Rivers region, ensuring we build back better with more flood resilient schools for local students and local communities.

It was considering sites that were "within the current RRHC catchment and reflect the community's longterm vision for secondary education in Lismore and surrounding villages".

Community consultation showed there was strong preference for the existing three model campus - with Kadina High, Lismore High and Richmond River High campuses all operating from separate sites.