‘Erected AD 1861’
Sitting on the elevated side of the road, within beautifully landscaped and maintained gardens, the ‘Gayndah State School‘ proudly displays the build date of this stunningly elegant, Victorian Rustic Gothic design, building. It is a fine example of the beautiful proportions, and remarkable quality of workmanship, of the day.
It is a real treasure for the township of Gayndah, ‘Queensland’s Oldest Town’.
This building could well the Queenland’s oldest Town’s, oldest building, as the Georgian cottage displayed in the Historical Museum is purported to have been constructed c 1864.
‘Gayndah State School’ is a rare survivor of Queensland’s earliest Government Schools, being built just 2 years after separation . . .
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How the School came to be . . .
The Queensland Education Act of 1860 created a Board of General Education, who were appointed to oversee the administration of National Schools throughout the new colony of Queensland.
During 1860, members of the Gayndah community submitted designs for a primary school for the town, to the Board of General Education. The designs were approved and £700 allocated towards the building costs.
” . . . Tenders for the erection of a National School were forwarded to the Board of Education on the 8th September last, but as yet nothing official has been received. A school is very much wanted, and the sooner those worthy gentlemen in Brisbane decide on the tenders, the sooner will the juvenile population receive the benefit of education . . . “
Source: Excerpt – The Morton Bay Courier – Article ‘Gayndah (from our Own Corespondent.) November 10, 1860’ – published 17th November 1860
The building was completed in 1862.
The first Headmaster, Hercules Smith, was appointed and commenced work in the September of 1863.
The school was opened to its first pupils on Monday, 12th October 1863.
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The Building . . .
The school building originally consisted of a brick schoolroom, 40 ft (12.2 m) x 20 ft (6.1 m). It also had an adjoining infants classroom of 12 ft (3.7 m) x 20 ft (6.1 m) under the same roof-line, separated by a dividing wall towards the southern end of the building.
A teacher’s residence was attached to the schoolroom on the western side. It consisted of four rooms: two bedrooms, a sitting room and dining room. A kitchen was also provided as was prescribed by the regulations of the time.
The high pitched roof included three dormer windows which were positioned above the verandah roof that extended along the eastern side of the building. Two of the three original dormer windows still remain. The northern most dormer window has been enclosed to accommodate extensions to the eastern side of the building. The verandah has been altered, however, the two original timber double doors, with glass panels, have survived and still afford entry into the schoolroom.
The front facing (northern) gable displays the words “Erected AD 1861”. This gable also features decorative fascia boards – both of which, remain today.
The original school room remains relatively in tact though there is evidence of the removal of the dividing wall that once sectioned off the infant’s classroom. The interior of the central core of the building remains an open-plan, rectangular space, featuring a high cove timber ceiling, and large supporting timber cross-beams.
Most of the teacher’s residence has been demolished apart from a single room, originally a bedroom, which adjoins the school room on the western side towards the northern end. It is currently used as a store-room.
The external walls which were originally displayed the brickwork, have been rendered and painted a rich cream colour. Presumably the bricks were hand made at such an early stage of the evolution of the town ?? . . .
Over the past 1½ centuries, the school has been greatly extended in size, however, has remain sympathetic to the original building. The gardens are immaculately kept and display a fine example of a ‘Queensland Bottle Tree‘ – a real credit to the school and the community. As a child, it must be amazing to attend such a beautiful school with walls that could tell oh so many stories !!!
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Helpful Hints:
– Close proximity to Town Centre – obtain Directions here
– Parking available along Meson Street
– Other Historical POI’s in Gayndah
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– Nearby Features:
– Shopping
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