Clifton Creek Primary receives $80,000 donation from News Corp

Clifton Creek Primary School — razed by the Black Summer Bushfires — has received an $80,000 donation from News Corp.

Clifton Creek Primary School is on the final leg of its rebuilding journey, after being razed by the 2019-20 bushfires.

That road to recovery has just become smoother, thanks to a $80,000 donation from News Corp that will fund a new school bus.

The tiny East Gippsland campus serves 40 students from Prep to Year 6, many of whom travel 16km from Bairnsdale each day.

Principal Sue Paul said the school’s old bus needed major maintenance work, and it wasn’t financially viable to keep it on the road.

“It has been a difficult time trying to think abut how we can afford to get a bus,” Ms Paul said.

The donation would make a huge difference, she said.

“I actually got teary when they told me. It is just wonderful.

“If we don’t have the bus, it does make it almost impossible for some parents to get their children to school.”

Clifton Creek Primary School principal Sue Paul celebrates the $80,000 donation with students Aleyah Howe, Andrew Howe and Lilly Cooper. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Clifton Creek’s enrolment has steadily increased since the bushfires, with families choosing the school for its one-on-one support.

“They come to us because their children need that small-school environment,” Ms Paul said. “For some of our students, the bigger school environment is just way to overwhelming.”

With three teachers and four aides, staff help students who deal with sensory-processing issues, anxieties and autism spectrum disorders.

At least 25 children will use the new bus daily.

News Corp Australia Community Ambassador and Bushfire Working Group chair Penny Fowler said the company was proud to be able to support families in Clifton Creek through the donation to the school.

“The Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 were devastating for all Australians,” Ms Fowler said.

“We continue to be amazed by the resolve of the many affected communities, which have united as one in the face of extraordinary challenges to plan for a stronger future.

“Clifton Creek is a fine example. Schools in rural areas are much more than just learning facilities, they are often a focal point for and critical to the social fabric of the communities they serve. We are delighted that with this donation we support not just a school but an entire community.”