THE 2012 Catholic school year was off to a soggy and chaotic start as heavy rain cut roads and inundated school property throughout Queensland and in northern NSW.
The rain and predicted heavy follow up falls raised fears of a repeat of last year’s severe flooding.
Assisi College, Upper Coomera, closed for the first time since it opened eight years ago.
Trinity College, Beenleigh, was closed throughout Wednesday, January 25 with other Gold Coast schools followed suit throughout the morning.
In northern NSW, Murwillumbah’s opening Mass for the school year was cancelled as roads, including the main highway north, were cut by floodwaters stopping many staff from attending.
Lismore’s opening Mass had to be shifted to St Carthage’s Cathedral after the rising Wilsons River isolated St John’s College Woodlawn.
New college principal Chris Comerford and school chaplain Marist Fr Paul Pidcock were marooned and unable to attend the Mass.
Meanwhile many Central Queensland school communities were relieved heavy rain predicted for the opening school week failed to eventuate.
Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) communications manager John Phelan said Trinity College, Beenleigh was the only school to close all day on January 25.
“Assisi College, Upper Coomera closed when local roads went under water, St Mary’s Primary School. Beaudesert was closed by mid morning, with St Michael’s College, Merrimac and St Vincent’s PrimarySchool, Clear Island Waters, closing around lunchtime.”
He said St Augustine’s Primary School, Currumbin Waters, didn’t close, but parents were asked to collect students in the early afternoon because of access to homes.
“A lot of those students live in the Currumbin and Tallebudgera Valleys and there were concerns because of kids access so they were sent home rather than risk being stranded at school,” he said.
Mr Phelan said the schools affected catered to around 4450 students.
Assisi College principal Dora Luxton said with the anniversary of the 2011 January floods prior to the wet weather there was a lot to be thankful for.
“This isn’t anywhere near the damage so you have to thank God for that, this is just an inconvenience,” she said.
With rain and localised flooding again hammering the Gold Coast on Friday January 27, St Augustine’s primary school had around 50 of its 500 students in class.
St Michael’s College principal Michael Laidler said the school was operating with a skeleton staff and parents were “strongly advised” to keep their students at home.
“We don’t have a problem here at the site although some of the sports fields do go under but a lot of our teachers come from northern NSW and the hinterland and a lot of those roads were blocked,” he said.
He said many of the College’s 800 students also lived in the hinterland areas or Nerang and Mudgeeraba and were cut off by localised flooding.
“It’s certainly not an ideal start to the school year but we are hoping to get back to full school early in the week – if the rain stays away,” Mr Laidler said.
School communities at Roma, St George and Mount Isa were impacted to varying degrees by the wet start to the 2012 school year.
Most extreme was Mount Isa, isolated after all major highways were cut. However, Good Shepherd College principal David Burke said the impact on the school had been minimal.
“Only a small number of students returning from holidays have been unable to get through to start school,” he said.
Staff and teachers at St George and Roma were relieved to have avoided a repeat of last year’s heavy flooding although “heavy black rain clouds” were reported around Roma.
NSW school started a week later than Queensland with most students back by Tuesday, January 31.
Murwillumbah parish priest Fr David Gilbey said extensive flooding meant the Friday, January 27 opening Mass for staff from the town’s three schools – St Joseph’s Primary, South Murwillumbah and Mt St Patrick College and primary – had to be cancelled.
“It was very unfortunate…so many staff were unable to get in that the day had to be cancelled,” he said.
“This is a very important event in the school calendar and can’t be rescheduled as school will be underway.”
Playgrounds at St Joseph’s and Mt St Patrick primary were also under water.
Trinity College, Lismore, principal Marist Brother Peter Carroll said floodwaters had come within half a metre of inundating classrooms.
“Last Wednesday we heard the river was expected to reach 8.5 metres,” he said.
“The ground floor would have been inundated at this level so we took the precaution of moving out equipment and furnishings.
“The river crossed the road to the oval and into the school grounds, coming within half metre of entering buildings.
“More rain is predicted but we’ll be moving everything back for when the students return.”
A spokeswoman for McAuley College at Grafton said the highway was no longer cut at Grafton although some students may affected by localised flooding and unable to get in to school.
Forecasters last week were warning rain-bearing lows were likely to develop along a monsoonal trough expected to reform across north Queensland.
The weather bureau had particular concerns about the Central Highlands, Warrego, Maranoa and Central West because of sodden catchments and brimming rivers.
