Overlooked by the iconic peak of Wollumbin, or Mount Warning, Tumbulgum Public School is a rural primary school located on the Traditional Lands of the Bundjalung Nation in the Tweed Valley of Northern New South Wales. Serving students from Kindergarten to Year 6, the school supports the historic riverside village of Tumbulgum and its tightknit community. Sitting at the meeting of the Tweed and Rous Rivers, the school is shaped by its natural landscape, rich cultural heritage and resilient community. Its modern spaces are raised above the flood plane, in turn opening the below undercroft as a spacious and shaded area for educational outdoor play, learning, and communal gathering. The school gives back to its surroundings in this way, extending the school’s learning environment beyond the classroom and creating a strong and lasting connection to culture and landscape it sits within.

When the devastating 2022 floods swept through the Northern Rivers, they took more than homes and infrastructure—they disrupted childhoods, separated communities, and left many schools at the heart of their towns damaged or lost. In the years that followed, Pedavoli Architects became part of the region's recovery through the Northern Rivers Flood Recovery Program. As a response to the flood planning requirements, a new ground plane was established at the first floor level, uniting the school functions in a flood resilient and accessible manner.

Initially engaged by the Department of Education to undertake site due diligence studies and master planning across seven sites, Pedavoli Architects later worked alongside ADCO Constructions to deliver six new flood-resistant public schools using modern methods of construction, where building components manufactured off-site before being assembled on location. Throughout the process, the practice worked closely with local communities and First Nations Elders to ensure each school reflected its place, culture and people.

By 2026, the six replacement schools—Wardell, Empire Vale, Broadwater, Blakebrook, Tumbulgum and Condong Public Schools—had all been completed, marking an important milestone in the region's recovery.