Updated – Monday, 6:40pm: A further six Tasmanian schools have been closed indefinitely as a number of areas undergo risk assessments.
Catholic Education Tasmania say full closures are now in place at Corpus Christi Catholic School in Bellerive, Sacred Heart Catholic School in Geeveston, St Brigid’s Catholic School in Wynyard, St John’s Catholic School in Richmond, St Peter Chanel Catholic School in Smithton and St Cuthbert’s Catholic School in Lindisfarne.
Partial closures are also in place at Sacred Heart College in New Town (K-5 closed), St Aloysius Catholic College in Kingston (K-4 closed) and Immaculate Heart Catholic School in Lenah Valley (Kinder and Prep).
Catholic Education Tasmania Executive Director Dr Gerard Gaskin acknowledged the disruption the closures would cause for families and says the organisation “is working to resolve the situation as quickly and safely as possible”.
“Our communities can be confident that we are acting quickly, carefully, and in alignment with professional guidance,” he said.
Earlier: A southern Tasmanian school has closed its doors effective immediately after identifying potential asbestos contamination in coloured sand products used on campus.
Northern Christian School in Bridgewater announced the temporary closure in a letter to parents around 4pm on Monday.
It is understood to be the first mainstream Tasmanian school to shut down following a national recall of decorative sand products.
The closure follows the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recall of several children’s coloured, decorative and sensory-play sand products sold between 2020 and 2025 after testing identified naturally occurring asbestos in multiple imported items.
In the letter seen by Pulse, the school confirmed they had “identified that some of the recalled sand products have been used on our campus” and had “quarantined all classrooms, storerooms and play areas where these products may have been used.”
The school has engaged licensed asbestos assessors and expects to reopen next Monday, pending clearance.
“Current national health guidance indicates the risk to students and staff is low, and no respirable fibres have been detected in the recalled products,” the school advised parents. “However, we are taking the most cautious and responsible approach.”
A Christian Schools Tasmania spokesperson told Pulse the Bridgewater school was their only facility affected at this stage.
Giant Steps Tasmania, a specialist school and therapy centre in Deloraine for children on the autism spectrum, has also been closed as a “necessary precaution” to assess whether the affected products were used.
The Tasmanian closures come as 70 schools in the ACT remain shut today for similar precautionary cleaning.
Brad Parker, Work Health and Safety Regulator at WorkSafe Tasmania, issued an urgent safety alert last Friday regarding the contaminated products.
“Asbestos is a prohibited substance in Australia and exposure to airborne fibres can cause serious illness,” Parker said in the alert.
“While the immediate risk from unopened products appears low, disturbing the sand increases the potential for fibre release.”
The affected products include various coloured sand products sold through major retailers including Kmart, Target and Officeworks, as well as educational suppliers.
Over 80 retailers nationwide stocked one or more of the impacted products, with items including 14-piece sand castle building sets, “magic sand” and decorative sand packs in various colours.
