A camp for Year 3 students at Canberra Grammar School has been cancelled after material containing asbestos was discovered on the grounds of the Birrigai camp site.
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In an email to parents, head of primary school Rosalie Reeves said the decision to cancel the camp was made on Friday afternoon. It had been scheduled for June.
"While we are aware that some students will be disappointed by this news, the safety of our students and staff is the school's main priority and we believe that this course of action is necessary," she said.
"It is our absolute intention to still operate a Year 3 camp in 2014 and you will be notified of plans for that as they become available."
A spokeswoman for Canberra Grammar School said she was unable to provide any further information on the camp as the decision to cancel had only just been made.
"Obviously students and teachers are our first priority," she said.
A spokesperson for the department of Territory and Municipal Services, which operates the Birrigai Outdoor School, confirmed a small amount of asbestos had been found and removed from the campsite earlier in the year and an asbestos management plan was in place.
But she said the asbestos found had been bonded and posed no immediate health risk to employees or to former campers.
"Bonded asbestos does not present an immediate health risk if it remains undisturbed and in a good condition and the report from Birrigai was that it remained undisturbed and was in a good condition," she said.
