Adavale couple campaigning to restart a school

The couple have moved west to the community of less than 30, situated on the headwaters of the Bulloo River, from Brisbane for a better quality lifestyle and for the chance to own their own home.

"Mum was born and bred here," Ms Cowley said.

"We'd never be able to afford a house in Brisbane - we'd both be constantly working to pay it off.

"We had trouble conceiving, so when our two children came along naturally, we wanted to be with them, not always working."

Young people in the region have been doing their schooling via distance education since the school was closed in 1968, but the Cowleys say they have identified 16 children five and under within a 10 kilometre radius of the town, and have spoken with their parents about restarting the school.

"Even a learning hub with a supervisor would give the children the opportunities they deserve," Ms Cowley said. "We've got the backing of the Quilpie Shire Council and we've spoken with the Quilpie ICPA."

Queensland's Education Department released a statement, saying "The department considers a range of factors in planning for new schools, including population growth, capacity within the existing school network and ensuring that existing schools and any new school maintain sufficient enrolments to continue to deliver a broad, modern curriculum to students."

Ms Cowley said the nearest school was at Quilpie, an hour away.

Her two children did eKindy, delivered from Brisbane, and the eldest is now doing Prep via the Charleville School of Distance Education.

"We don't want our kids on a school bus for hours each day, or to go to boarding school from an early age," she said. "A P-6 school would be more of an incentive for younger families to move out here."

She added that a school could also give families further out of Adavale options for their schooling, where they now have only distance education available.

Her request comes as questions are raised about the future of rural and remote schools with falling enrolments, including Birdsville, Gulugaba and Orion.

According to departmental predictions, they're among nine schools trending towards having no students by 2027, however the departmental statement says it recognises the important role that state schools play in all communities across the state.

"The department relies on student projections and enrolment forecasts from the Queensland Government Statistician's Office to inform its planning work," it said.

"Projections and forecasts are based on the best information available to QGSO; however, actual in-catchment student numbers and school enrolments can be higher or lower than forecast.

"Many schools are subject to fluctuations in enrolments as a result of demographic factors in the communities they serve.

"The department considers short, medium, and long-term enrolment demand in determining whether to support the temporary closure of a school due to a lack of enrolments."

Saying that if enrolments at a school hit zero, the school would be temporarily closed, or "mothballed".

As of 2023, 10 state schools were temporarily closed due to nil enrolments.

The departmental spokesperson said they assessed a range of factors when considering the future viability of schools, including whether the school is the best educational option for the students, given its size and the availability of alternative learning options; distance to the next closest school; availability of transport; and the potential of future enrolment growth.

"Temporary closures will only occur after extensive consultation with stakeholders," they said. "School sites can be held by the department for potential future use and reopened if enrolments increase."