In February 2022, intense flooding affected communities up and down Australia’s east coast, causing extensive disruption and damage, including to the Sims Metal site at Rocklea, Queensland, and nearby Rocklea State School. The flood damage at the school was so extensive that the administration and classroom blocks, which included a staff room and computer lab, had to be demolished – a blow to one of Brisbane’s smallest schools, which opened in 1885 and has just 42 students enrolled.

We reached out to see how we could support the recovery of this tight-knit educational community. With a donation of $20,000 from Sims Limited, the school has installed six sensory pods in the playground, commissioned a nature-inspired mural on the grounds, and, for the first time in 10 years, introduced a chaplain to provide emotional support to the school community.

Rocklea School Mural
Nature-inspired mural commissioned thanks to Sims’s donation

“All of the children at Rocklea State School have, in one way or another, accessed the pods for very different reasons. Some interact with them daily during play, while others will head to one of the pods for a calm reset. Some children like to have chats with our support staff while in the pods; others sit in a cluster with friends and invent games where the pods are a portal that takes them away on an adventure.”

Julia Bailey, School’s Principal
Image Alt Text:
Image Alt Text:
Image Alt Text:
Image Alt Text:
Image Alt Text:
Image Alt Text:
Rocklea school student drawings
Rocklea school student drawings 2
Rocklea school student drawings 3
Rocklea school student drawings 4
Rocklea school student drawings 5
Rocklea school student drawings 6
Students from the school created drawings to illustrate their thanks to Sims Metal

“These drawings show an insight from the eyes of the children – I hope that they convey just how much our children love having something so unique yet so purposeful here at our school,” Julia told us. “The installation could not have been possible without the very generous support of Sims Metal.”

Julia Bailey, School’s Principal

We are delighted to have been able to help the Rocklea State School rebuild what was destroyed by the flood and support its little learners during this difficult time.

The communities in which we operate are key to our success. They fuel our sustainable growth by providing links to the local workforce, suppliers and infrastructure. By listening and engaging with them, we are not only able to make their lives better, but also make informed business decisions and increase our impact.

If you have a community initiative that you believe Sims Metal would be interested in supporting get in touch with us.