Anglo American floods school with laptops
While the flood waters caused by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald may have receded more than a month
ago, the clean-up and restoration is far from over for many Queensland communities, especially for
the small one teacher school of Lowmead State School, located 80 kilometres north of Bundaberg.
School Principal Christine Pascoe said every building of the school was flooded included the
Principal’s residence when the nearby Baffle Creek broke its banks in late January.
“This year’s flood was Lowmead’s worst ever, with long-time residents commenting it was bigger than
the previous flood record set more than 100 years ago in 1903.
“Lowmead State School was established in 1908 and has a proud tradition of providing quality
primary education for more than a century, so it was extremely confronting for our entire community to
see the devastation caused to our school in the January flood,” said Christine
However despite this natural disaster locals have rallied together and school life is slowly but surely
returning to normal, thanks in no small part to the generosity of others including Anglo American
employee David Kelly who organised the donation of laptop computers from Dawson mine and Met
Coal’s Brisbane head office.
“As a resident of BaffIe Creek I was completely shocked by the enormity of this year’s flood, it was the
biggest and most damaging I have every experienced in my lifetime,” he said.
“Prior to the flood Lowmead State School was the best resourced primary school in the district and to
have all its equipment destroyed, including all 11,000 books in its library was just heartbreaking.
“I’m extremely grateful to Anglo American for donating three laptops as well as stationery items to
Lowmead State School, the children have had to cope with a major disruption to the start of their
school year and this equipment will help enormously with their education,” David said.
School Principal Christine Pascoe said the Anglo American-donated laptops were a welcomed
addition to the school by helping ensure her students kept pace with the ever changing world of
technology.
Dawson mine Step Up Supervisor and Baffle Creek resident David Kelly hands over one of three
laptops detonated by Anglo American to Lowmead State School students Fuschia Hawkins (centre)
and Emily Hiscox (left).
Flood waters at Lowmead State School.
The small township of Lowmead under siege by flood waters from Baffle Creek in January 2013.