Government schools in Lismore and Casino plus places to learn new vocations or hobbies

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From primary to secondary education, it’s important to find the right school that is going to set our children up for their future. Learning is crucial, but so is building social skills, confidence and resilience. And of course, every child is different – so their needs differ too!

Following are some government schools and local education providers in the city of Lismore and the town of Casino in the Northern Rivers region. What you’ll find are schools that not only offer a range of subjects and extracurricular activities but also come with a very community-centred environment.

Primary School

Lismore South Public School welcomes students from preschool to Year 6, and is a proud member of ‘The Rivers P-12’ – a group of schools that work together across the Lismore community to meet the needs of their students. There is a very active and supportive parents and citizens association, and the school’s motto of ‘we can’ is embedded into their quality academic programs in literacy and numeracy.

The Casino West Public School has a roll of around 240 pupils, and their vision is focused on dreaming of big futures where all students can achieve high standards academically, socially, emotionally and physically. The school has a long-running Bundjalung Culture and Language program in place, as well as modern learning classrooms to enhance interactive lessons for students. Participation and involvement from parents are of a very high standard.


Image source: Casino West Public School

Secondary Schools

St John’s College Woodlawn is a co-education Catholic Secondary School with around 760 students. Set rurally, around 5km from downtown Lismore, the school is well-equipped with facilities, including a performing arts centre and dance studio, a trade training centre offering courses in a range of subjects, a design and technology centre, a music centre, a large sport and recreation centre and an on-site agriculture centre.

Richmond River High School Campus in North Lismore is a part of The Rivers Secondary College – a dual-campus, government-funded co-ed school, with a roll of around 720 students. The campus motto is ‘Knowledge is Life’ and through curricular and extracurricular activities, has a strong commitment to teaching innovative programs to foster success.

Further education

For life after school, there are a number of options available across the Lismore Shire and Richmond Valley Shire.

WorkForce Skills and Training provides a niche range of courses for those looking to upskill in many areas of healthcare – from advanced first aid to emergency response, resuscitation and mental health support. With nationally recognised qualifications and experienced, qualified training specialists, WFST courses are designed to provide specific industry skills depending on an individual’s career choice.


Image Source: Work Force Skills and Training

Southern Cross University Lismore Campus offers a modern learning environment set in lush, sub-tropical grounds with rainforest walkways and landscaped gardens – the ideal backdrop for a variety of degrees across arts and social sciences, education and teaching, digital media, business and tourism, marine and environmental sciences and so much more. From the state-of-the-art Learning Centre to the Goodman Plaza that is bustling with eateries and the SCU gym and pool complex, student life here is hard to beat.

The Lismore Campus of Ace Community Colleges has a range of courses from business to early childhood education, to driver training and work skills – all to help with getting a head start in a career, or upskilling to take the next step or return to work after a gap. Focused on empowering positive futures, ACE’s mission is to help students get where they want to go, designing and delivering nationally recognised qualifications. They also have a number of leisure and lifestyle workshops, like creative writing, drawing basics and photography for beginners – perfect for those who are looking to indulge in a new hobby or to complement a more academic course.

Another great option for further education outside of schooling is the Northern Rivers Conservatorium, where music is life! From early childhood music to individual tuition in the instrument of your choice, to a range of ensemble and choir opportunities, here’s where you can truly indulge in a passion for music. There’s also plenty of opportunities to perform, including regular community performance nights.

Learning is for life and that’s why education is key, especially in those early formative years. There are so many paths to take in order to find the right job and career, and the foundation of this is established in school. But it doesn’t stop there – many of us choose to learn a new skill, change careers or take up a hobby at any time of life, and many further education opportunities are suited to school leavers and seniors alike.

Perhaps what’s most exciting is that if you choose to settle in the country, you can still find a number of schools and education providers to suit, and this showcase of Lismore, Casino and surrounds is no exception.

Interested in learning what other schools and educational facilities are in the area? Check out our business directory.