$1.9m school upgrade starts

STUDENTS have quickly adapted to new learning spaces at Tarnagulla Primary School as work starts under a $1.86 million upgrade.

An interruption to electricity supply last week had students off exploring nearby bushland.

Principal Leigh Mellberg said: “We have made quite a few changes to our teaching arrangements this term to accommodate the renovations to the front part of the main building.

“We have waited a long time to get to this point – and we are really looking forward to the new facilities when they are finished, but for a few months there will be some additional noise and activity, and some disruption,” he said.

Mr Mellberg said work crews were currently replacing floorboards in the 19th century building.

The upgrade will also see replacement of electrical wiring, installation of reverse-cycle air-conditioners and the roof replaced.

Mr Mellberg said the council was discussing a further project to install a battery on the school site for renewable energy and to achieve greater efficiency.

The current project will also see construction of a new basketball court.

“We talk a lot at school about resilience: what it means, what it looks like, what it feels like, and so on.

“I would like to believe it is precisely because we aim to build this culture of resilience that we are doing so well with our temporary but additional challenges,” Mr Mellberg said.

Funds for the upgrade were announced in the 2020–21 State Budget.