More Queensland schools evacuated after threatening calls made

BREAKING: Schools in three Australian states are again being emptied after serious threats were received this morning.

ANOTHER wave of school evacuations has begun after schools in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales were hit with more threatening calls.

The Central Coast Advocate is reporting Henry Kendall High and The Entrance Public School have both been evacuated after suspected bomb hoaxes.

At the same time schools in Victoria have emptied after they enacted their emergency plans, a police spokeswoman said.

It appeared the calls were hoaxes aimed at mass disruption and media attention, however police said they were still being taken seriously.

A Queensland police spokesman was unable to say how many or which schools had received the calls this morning in that state but it is understood students from Camp Hill State School and Bracken Ridge State High School were evacuated.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokesman said fire trucks were waiting in the areas after the calls were made this morning.

It comes after 10 Queensland state schools received hoax calls yesterday, along with dozens more across Australia. Students were evacuated as a precaution but returned to class after police searched the buildings.

Schools in Brisbane, on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Cairns were affected yesterday, with thousands of students having to brave sweltering temperatures outside.

At least one student was taken to hospital with heat stroke and several others were treated for heat-related illnesses at their schools.

Queensland Police Service said they believe today’s calls originated from the same source as yesterday’s hoaxes, which they believe came from overseas.

Police said yesterday: “We are confident that the calls have come from overseas, and have been designed to cause significant disruption and media coverage.

“At this time, there is no credible evidence the threats could be carried out here.”

Police today moved to reassure the public, saying there was no cause for alarm.

“Whilst the calls today have just begun and will be fully investigated by police, it is believed they are of a similar nature and pattern as yesterday and most probably originate from the same source [overseas],” a statement said.

Police said they are working closely with Education Queensland to ensure the safety of students.

It comes amid reports NSW police are investigating whether Islamic extremists were behind similar calls to Sydney schools earlier this week, and reports that calls made to Victorian schools were traced to an elite high school.

Originally published as More Queensland schools evacuated after threatening calls made