University of the Sunshine Coast’s Thompson Institute closed after water damage

Unexpected water damage has closed an institute at a Queensland university only months after the opening of its multimillion-dollar expansion.

Buildings at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Thompson Institute were closed until further notice.

Institute buildings which house a multimillion mental health research centre at the University of the Sunshine Coast have been closed due to water damage.

It’s understood flooding caused extensive damage in the Thompson Institute buildings at the university’s Birtinya campus on Wednesday morning.

A University of the Sunshine Coast spokeswoman said this week the Thompson Institute buildings were currently closed due to water damage sustained during testing of the protection system.

“Repairing the damage and making the buildings safe is a priority, and the repair cost is unknown at this time,” the spokeswoman said.

The unexpected closure comes only months after the university expanded the Thompson Institute through its National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Centre at a cost of $18.5m.

The National PTSD Research Centre is part of the Thompson Institute at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Picture: USC

The national hub opened in May and was the first of its kind in Australia which planned to understand, educate, advocate and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The centre features advanced neuroimaging technology, medication-assisted therapy rooms, long-stay clinical observation rooms, a clinical trials facility and a laboratory for molecular research.

University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Helen Bartlett said at the time it was a major step for a university that was addressing the most pressing needs of the community.

An estimated 11 per cent of Australians experienced PTSD in their lives, according to the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The centre was supported by $8.3 million of federal government funding, additional funding from Sunshine Coast philanthropists, with the rest funded by the university.