Water supply issue

Valkyrie State School has become known for its ongoing struggle in attempting to obtain a permanent water supply since opening in 1974.^{[12][13][14][15]}

In 2015, a student suffered a broken arm after falling on the dry surface of the school's unwatered oval.^[12] Students were subsequently banned from playing on the oval to prevent similar incidents from occurring.^[12] Since June 2020, the school has been relying on a mining company Peabody Energy to transport potable water to supplement the school's rainwater tanks free of charge.^[14] The school's rainwater tanks ran out of water in May 2021.^[14]

In 2021, the school was banned by the state government from accepting donated water from any company apart from its own commercial business unit QBuild.^[15] The Parents & Citizens' Association, the Isolated Children's Parent's Association and local MP Dale Last have all criticised the state government's handling of the issue.^[13] The government was also criticised by the P&C for not allocating any money in the 2021 state budget to address the lack of water supply at Valkyrie State School, despite funding ten new schools in South East Queensland, and allocating money for new infrastructure at Parkhurst State School.^[15]

According to the Department of Education, an additional three new water tanks with ultraviolet filtration would be installed at the school in 2021.^[12] However, the P&C said they would prefer a permanent water source and proposed that the school either be connected to the nearest pipeline or have a nearby dam rehabilitated so water could be pumped to the school from there.^[14]