Richmond River High Campus

Planning is underway to rebuild RRHC after it was extensively damaged by floods in early 2022.

The department is committed to rebuilding a modern, purpose-built school with new classrooms and learning spaces tailored to the educational needs of the Northern Rivers community now, and into the future.

Students are learning from a temporary campus at The Rivers Secondary College Lismore High Campus.

The campus will be relocated and rebuilt at a new site. The department undertook an exhaustive review of options for rebuilding the campus. As a result of the investigations, in December 2023, we confirmed:

• The campus will not be rebuilt at the Lake Street site due to extensive flood damage and the significant ongoing risk of future flooding. This is supported by Lismore City Council and the State Emergency Services.
• The existing three campus model for The Rivers Secondary College would be retained – with Kadina High, Lismore High and Richmond River High campuses all operating from separate sites.

In June 2024 we advised the community that a preferred site for rebuilding the campus has been identified along Dunoon Road, in North Lismore.

The site selection was guided by:

• Proximity to the primary partners schools
• Flood planning and flood resilience
• Retaining the important parts of Richmond River High Campus (RRHC) identity (e.g. green space, not being a city campus)
• Diversity of teaching needs, e.g. Agricultural, performing arts, visual arts, VET
• Land size and planning for a school large enough for RRHC
• Time it will take to achieve planning consent

The preferred school site will allow school buildings to be positioned above the 2022 flood level and the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) level. This will significantly improve the school’s flood resilience by minimising disruptions from future flood events and allowing students to return to school much sooner.

Rebuilding the Richmond River High Campus is being funded through insurance and rebuilt on a like-for-like basis to replace school facilities damaged by the 2022 floods. It will include a school farm, playing fields, hall as well as general and specialist learning spaces. 

We are consulting with the Widjabul Wia-bal Gurrumbil Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, about the proposed site for RRHC. Consultation will include the preparation of an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report (ACHAR), which is also needed as part of our planning application for the project.

Consultation was held in July and August 2023 to understand the community’s long-term vision for secondary education in Lismore and surrounding areas, and the role of the campus.

This included workshops with students, staff, and P&Cs from The Rivers Secondary College, as well as with P&Cs and school principals from the public primary schools in the RRHC catchment, and an online survey for the Lismore community. The consultation outcomes and the final consultation report provided information for review of options for rebuilding the school.

The department is working collaboratively with RRHC on campus designs through the Project Reference Group (PRG). Outcomes from consultation workshops with staff, parents and students in July and August 23 have also been considered as part of the architect’s brief.

The campus masterplan and concept designs will be shared at an information session for the community before a planning application is submitted. 

Once a site is acquired, it will take two to four years to obtain planning approval and rebuild the campus.

We will keep the community updated on time frames throughout the planning, design, approval, and construction phases.

RRHC students will remain at their temporary site at Lismore High Campus until their campus is rebuilt.

The learning spaces in the temporary campus are state of the art and include classrooms and specialist subject spaces such as science labs, workshops, kitchens, music studio and art rooms as well as a canteen building.

We will continue to share information with the community through website updates, information sessions and project updates. You can also contact us by email at FloodRecovery_RRHC@det.nsw.gov.au or phone on 1300 482 651.