When the Hunter River Community School made the move from East Maitland to Metford a group of students didn’t live to be part of the change.

But with the creation of a large-scale memorial their lives will always be remembered.

“We lost quite a few students when we were at our old site so we had tiles set up with their names on them but when we moved across last year some of the tiles didn’t make it so we decided to do something different,” the school’s assistant principal Mandy Worton said.

“It’s been quite a journey and I’ve searched far and wide to find something I thought would work.”

The result is a butterfly memorial designed by Paterson man Bill Cummins.

“These students were just so special and we’ll never forget them,” Ms Worton said.

“And I think it’s very important to recognise the special place they held in our lives. Just because we move on doesn’t mean they are forgotten.”

The memorial will be unveiled on Friday morning.