Plans for new Richmond River High Campus after fire, floods destroy historic building
This is where his brother, sister and mother were once students, and his grandfather worked as a teacher.
"Seeing all the old stuff — desks with people's names scribbled on them from 30 years ago — it was really cool," he said.
But Leo spent just two weeks at the northern New South Wales school before it was destroyed by floods in 2022.
He spent the next three years learning in cramped demountable classrooms.
Now in year 10, the 15-year-old said he was disappointed he did not get the chance to make memories at the school.
"It was quite emotional," he said.
The Department of Education deemed the North Lismore campus of The Rivers Secondary College "unsalvageable".
The 2022 flood caused widespread damage, and a fire in March this year destroyed much of the historic timber structure.
Plans have been released for a new school that will sit above the Probable Maximum Flood height, within five minutes' drive of the old site.
It will include more than 50 classrooms, performance spaces, and facilities for sport, agriculture, construction, and food technologies.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority will fast-track planning approvals for the new campus, which is expected to be open for term 1, 2027.
To meet the deadline, modular buildings will be manufactured offsite while civil infrastructure works are carried out onsite.
So far, 16 of the 21 flood-damaged schools in the region have been repaired or rebuilt, with flood resilience at the forefront of planning.
Repairs to schools at Tumbulgum and Condong in the Tweed Shire are underway, while work is in the pipeline to complete public schools at Murwillumbah East, South Lismore, and Cabbage Tree Island.
Principal Luke Woodward said while he would miss the "beautiful" old school building, it was not what made Richmond River High special.
"Our drawing area is vastly different from a lot of high schools that come from a particular suburb or a particular area — our kids live in communities, [they're] small village kids, farming kids," he said.
"We have a really eclectic, diverse range of students and staff.
Leo's mum, Megan Bennett, studied at the school and is now the P&C president.
Ms Bennett said the new design reflected the school's identity and embodied the spirit of inclusivity.
She said elements such as the yarning and dancing circles acknowledged the Aboriginal heritage of the land where the new school would sit.
Leo's grandfather Ed Bennett fondly remembered the time he spent teaching at the school.
"It was like a big family, and that was really important to us."
Mr Bennett estimated that over 65 years, more than 15,000 students passed through the old school.
His grandson Leo said students at the new school would still have a sense of being part of something historic.
"Everyone who went there will know just how important the other site was, and they will make the new site just as important and loved by everyone," he said.
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