Parents and staff at Richmond River High Campus have been formally reassured that construction is continuing, as a federal heritage protection application places the new North Lismore site under assessment.

In a school community update issued yesterday, the NSW Department of Education confirmed work remains underway at the new flood-resistant location.

“Work is continuing on site as planned,” the letter states.

The notice acknowledges media reports about a possible legal challenge “may cause concern” but says the department is engaging with the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and remains confident it has “followed all proper procedures, including respecting cultural sensitivities and meeting legal requirements for the school site”.

The reassurance follows confirmation that applications have been lodged under Section 9 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (ATSIHP Act), seeking emergency protection of the redevelopment site.

A spokesperson for the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the department has received the applications and is processing them in accordance with the Act.

“No decisions have been made,” the spokesperson said. “As these applications are currently under assessment it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

There are no statutory timeframes for determining matters under the ATSIHP Act, meaning the assessment does not operate under fixed deadlines.

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan has urged Federal Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt to act quickly.

“This school was devastated by the floods. Our community has fought hard to see it rebuilt,” Mr Hogan said.

“Students have already endured enormous disruption. They deserve certainty, not more delays.”

He described the campus as “vital infrastructure for our region” and said the Minister must make a decision quickly given the impact on hundreds of local families.

State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin also weighed in.

“I would be disappointed if there were any delays in the construction, particularly for our school community,” she said.

However, Al Oshlack, who has been assisting Bundjalung Elder Michael “Mickey” Ryan in the matter, said the issue, in his view, is not about opposing education infrastructure but protecting what he describes as one of the most culturally significant sites in Lismore.

“The disappointment, if it goes ahead, is one of the most significant places in Lismore, a cultural heritage site, which even their archaeologists have alluded to is over 10,000 years old,” he said.

“Even by the admissions of the education department, this is a significant cultural heritage site, and that’s something we can’t just lose here in Lismore.”

He said alternatives should be considered, including rebuilding on the former site with increased flood resilience or locating the school elsewhere on suitable high ground.

“We want the high school,” he said. “I’ve got three kids that went there and I did my teaching prac there in 1972.”

The rebuild of The Rivers Secondary College Richmond River High Campus is a key part of Lismore’s post-flood recovery. With no statutory deadline under the federal Act and no decision yet made, the future timeline now rests with Canberra - while in Lismore, parents, students and the wider community wait for clarity.