Arnhem Land school benefits from all-weather facilities

Gapuwiyak Primary School in north-east Arnhem Land now has a covered outdoor facility that can withstand the extremes of weather experienced in the Northern Territory. Gapuwiyak is part of a remote community situated approximately 40 kilometres inland from Arnhem Bay and about 220 kilometres west-south-west of Nhulunbuy.

The school received funding of $2 million to build the new multipurpose pavilion under the Primary Schools for the 21st Century element of the Building the Education Revolution (BER), a key component of the Australian Government’s Nation Building-Economic Stimulus Plan. This new facility will be particularly useful during the tropical wet season when daily monsoonal downpours often exceed 100mm.

The new pavilion is a large, cyclone coded facility incorporating a covered sports area, stage and two classrooms, which have an operable wall that can be folded back to create one very large teaching space.

The new facility also features large fans in the undercover area to maintain airflow—a relief for students and teachers alike, in particular during the months of September, October and November building up to the wet season when temperatures regularly reach the high 30s.

The new facilities have had a major impact on how both students and teachers approach education. In the morning, the pavilion is used by the early childhood group for coordination exercises. Assembly is held there every week. The two classrooms are being used by grades three and four and the undercover basketball court is constantly in use by the entire school.

The facility also benefits the whole community. The new pavilion has already been the venue for movie nights, discos and performances which would otherwise not have been possible in inclement weather. A large automatic roller door at one end of the classroom opens out onto the pavilion via a raised stage/platform area, making the new building an ideal space for concerts. It’s expected that the availability of these performance facilities will increase the number and variety of cultural experiences created and enjoyed in this remote community.

Gapuwiyak also received $1.97 million for construction of a new science centre under the Science and Language Centres for 21st Century Secondary Schools element of the BER.

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