School locked down for second time in five hours

Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School, located on the Gold Coast, was evacuated twice this morning after a suspicious package was found on its grounds.

Police and emergency crews are currently on the scene scouring the area after an envelope containing white powder and a threatening letter was discovered.

The school was soon given the all-clear to reopen after the substance was found to be cornflour but was soon re-evacuated when staff were advised that police would be continuing their investigation at the school.

“The second evacuation is not a separate incident, but part of the ongoing investigation,” a spokesperson for the Queensland Police Service (QPS) told The Educator.

Approximately 2,500 students attend the school, which is one of the largest on the Gold Coast.

The school’s acting executive principal, Blair Hanna, released a statement on the school’s Facebook page, saying that following further information from QPS, the school’s staff and students will remain in a lockdown mode.

“All students are safe in our school hall. Students are under shelter, have water and medication and toilet facilities. Please be aware that all students are safe and are being cared for by our staff at this time,” Hanna said.

“Following Department of Education and Training protocols, we are unable to release any students offsite at this point in time until we have been given a complete Police clearance of the school.”

Hanna added that the school will provide an update as soon as possible.