Community
22 January, 2025
New Spinifex principal settling into Mount Isa
Tom Bates has experience in regional and remote schools across Queensland.
Spinifex State College has a new leader at the helm, with Tom Bates making the move to Mount Isa to take on the principal position.
It marks a major change in the leadership of the school, which has both a junior and senior campus in two different suburbs of the city.
Outgoing principal Rob Slater finished at the end of term four, while long-serving secondary boss Chris Pocock also left at the end of 2024.
Mr Bates said he was glad to be back in the North West, having previously taught in Doomadgee.
“I’ve been in education for about 28 years now, across all of Queensland, both remote and coastal,” he said.
“While I haven’t taught in Mount Isa before I know it because I was in Doomadgee and I’ve been at Mackay, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Nambour ... so I’ve been all over the state in high schools and primary schools.
“I’ve been a principal of a large primary school at Hervey Bay for a while as well.
“But my passion is schools and helping kids and when I saw this opportunity I decided to put my hand up to take it and come and be part of the Mount Isa community.”
Mr Bates, a Wakka Wakka man from the Bundaberg and Cherbourg region, moves to Mount Isa with his wife, who is also a teacher.
She will be working at the new Pathways College located next to Healy State School.
“I’m an Indigenous man, so I really have a passion for Indigenous education as well, and supporting kids on their journey,” he said.
Mr Bates said he understood that taking on the Spinifex role was a major challenge, especially with other senior staff departing at the end of last year.
“I think the big thing is communicating and understanding the school so I spent a little bit of time prior to coming trying to understand the school and what the needs might be like,” he said.
“I was fortunate enough to come out for two days once I got the position.
“I had a bit of a handover from the last principal Rob so that was really nice to do.
“I think being open and being present is the key to making things successful and letting everyone know what I’m here for and why I’m here to support them.”
Classes return at Spinifex and most schools next Tuesday.