On the state government's list of potential temporary housing sites is the Lismore Golf Course and Southern Cross University (SCU).

Both have raised some eyebrows and ire in the community, especially the golf course (Lismore Golf Club didn't know about temporary housing site).

Parents have had some concerns that the temporary housing at SCU was too close to where their children are now temporarily going to school. Trinity Catholic College, one of those using SCU as a temporary home while the college is being rebuilt, sent an email to parents to ease that concern by saying the housing site is not on the SCU campus grounds.

Further investigation has revealed it is 2kms from the university at the Northern Rivers Football Academy on Crawford Road, East Lismore. The soccer pitches and car park will be transformed into temporary housing for flood-affected people using modular homes known as 'pods'.

The Northern Rivers Football Academy is still going strong and will relocate to Lennox Head as part of the arrangement with the state government.

The Lismore campus is one of nine locations across the Northern Rivers region selected to house around 800 temporary homes which include the semi-established Wollongbar site, the golf course at East Lismore and this site at SCU.

(Looking towards some established accommodation with a grass field, artificial field, car park and top oval at the SCU site)

Once site establishment work and the connection of utilities is complete, each site will be handed over to a community housing provider who will allocate and manage the ‘pods’.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the NSW Government is working hard to deliver a range of housing solutions across the Northern Rivers region.

“The types of temporary accommodation now in production include caravans, Minderoo pods, self-contained studio homes and one, two or three-bedroom modular homes, ensuring that a range of family sizes can be accommodated,” Ms Cooke said.

“Housing remains one of the most pressing needs for people in flood-affected communities and is why we’re using all of the resources at our disposal to get people the help they need now and in the months to come.

“Each site was identified in partnership with local councils and I’d like to particularly recognise Southern Cross University, who have been a fantastic partner for us, hosting our recovery centre, the recent flood inquiry public meeting and now a temporary accommodation site.”

The University has been central to the flood recovery effort. The Lismore campus is now home to the Northern NSW Recovery Centre (headed by the Northern NSW Flood Recovery Co-ordinator and NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon); two flood-affected schools; Lismore Police headquarters; Business NSW business hub; banks, building societies and credit unions; as well as multiple health and community services.

Many Southern Cross students and staff went above and beyond for their community in the hours, weeks and months since the unprecedented flood event on February 28. From activating the evacuation centre to mucking out flooded homes and coordinating volunteers and donations. Watch the video.

Flood-affected community members seeking housing support can contact Service NSW on 13 77 88, visit nsw.gov.au/floods or speak to Recovery Centre staff.