The Scots College Glengarry campus hit by Currowan bushfire
The Currowan bushfire ripped through the prestigious school’s Kangaroo Valley campus on Saturday leaving a scene of utter devastation.
Wentworth Courier
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A bushfire which ripped through the Scots College Kangaroo Valley campus over the weekend destroyed student dormitories and staff homes.
Fire spread through the Glengarry campus on Saturday evening with early reports of the damage coming in on Monday morning.
The first images of the devastation were released on Monday afternoon with the school resolutely stating “it could have been much worse”.
The fire moved from the east to the west through the school, scorching park benches and numerous buildings.
Four staff residences and two student dormitories were destroyed.
Power and sewerage facilities were damaged and other external buildings and equipment were also destroyed.
Remarkably the gym, classrooms, dining halls and offices survived the blaze.
The outdoor education campus of the prestigious Bellevue Hill school is on Jacks Corner Rd, Kangaroo Valley.
School principal Dr Ian Lambert sent an email update to the Scots College community on Monday morning.
“The team have had their first opportunity to make a brief visit to Glengarry to assess the damage from the bushfire that swept through the campus late on Saturday evening.
“Four staff residences have been destroyed, two student dormitories have been destroyed, utilities such as power and sewerage have been damaged and some external buildings and equipment have been destroyed.”
Three student dormitories survived.
As it is the summer school holidays, no students were on campus.
Usually about 35 staff members and their families live on campus, but many of them were away during the holiday period and those that remained were told to leave for their own safety last week.
“Sadly, the homes of four staff members have been destroyed, but we are grateful that everyone is safe,” Dr Lambert said.
“The fire front is not far away from the campus and the area is yet to receive the all clear for staff to return.”
All students in year nine at the Bellevue Hill school are required to spend six months at the Glengarry Outdoor Education Program.
Staff said they were unsure how the campus will now accommodate the first intake of students for 2020.
But the school said that with some modifications, it hopes to have the program running at the Glengarry campus later this year.
School principal Dr Ian Lambert also wrote to families yesterday about the damage.
“Late last night fire swept through our Glengarry campus, so I wanted to write and let you know that all staff and their families are safe and had left the campus earlier in the week.
“The question of preparations for Intake 1 has already been anticipated. Should any changes to the program be required, the College will be in touch with Intake 1 families to let you know as soon as the site assessment and alternative arrangements have been decided.
“We are grateful that our Glengarry families are safe, but we also recognise that for many of our staff, Glengarry and Kangaroo Valley is also their home.
“The layout of the Glengarry campus was designed with the threat of fire in mind and the staff had ample time to implement our fire plans.
“Our thoughts are also with the wider Kangaroo Valley community to which The Scots College is so closely connected.”
Scots’ Old Boys Union President Mathew Collet said: “What a very sad day this is for the Old Alumni of the college and the whole college community.
“We are off course, working together with the principal to make sure there is as little disruption to the start of the school term as possible and we have offered our help as volunteers to resurrect Glengarry back to is original status as soon as possible.”
The Currowan fire crossed the Shoalhaven River over the weekend and spread into the Kangaroo Valley.
A fire is currently burning between Batemans Bay and Nowra, with more than 304,000 hectares burning out of control.
The threat has now eased between Nowra and Kioloa, east of the Princes Highway.
More to come.