Ayr State High School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ayr State High School
Heritage-listed building at Ayr State High School
Address
Edwards St Ayr , Queensland , 4807 Australia
Information
Type	State, co-ed, secondary
Motto	Meliora Sequimur
Established	1937
Principal	Craig Whittred
Staff	71
Grades	7–12
Enrolment	480 (2017)
Houses	Banks, Maquarie, Phillip and Cook

Ayr State High School is a special public secondary school located in Ayr, Australia. It's one of three high schools in the area. The school building was designed by the Queensland Department of Public Works. It was built between 1935 and 1937. This school is so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it's protected because of its history and unique design.

School Buildings and Spaces

The school has eleven different buildings. This includes a large auditorium that can seat fifty people. There's also a big multi-purpose shelter. It can hold over seven hundred students. This is great for events, as the school has about 480 students.

In 2012, all students had the chance to get a laptop. They could take these laptops home to help with their studies.

Sports and School Spirit

Students at Ayr State High School love to compete in many sports. Each year, they have big swimming and athletics competitions. The school has four sports houses. These houses are named after famous explorers. They are Banks (red), Macquarie (yellow), Philip (blue), and Cook (green). Students earn points for their house in different events.

Famous Former Students

Many talented people have gone to Ayr State High School. Here are a couple of them:

• Karrie Webb – She was once the best female golfer in the world!
• Neil Gooding – He created the popular musical "Back to the 80's". He has also directed many plays in Sydney and London.

School's Story

The main building at Ayr State High School was built from 1934 to 1936. It was first called Ayr State High and Intermediate School. Students came from all over the Burdekin region to attend. This was a time when Ayr was growing very fast. The school is one of the most important buildings from that period. Other important buildings include the Ayr Court House and the Tropix Theatre.

The town of Ayr started in 1882. It grew because of the sugar cane farms nearby. By the 1920s, Ayr was the main town in the area.

A primary school opened in Ayr in 1886. But for a long time, kids in the Burdekin area couldn't go to high school. In 1928, a special secondary section was added to the primary school. It taught subjects like business, home economics, and manual skills.

In the early 1930s, the local school committee pushed for a separate high school. The sugar industry was booming, bringing wealth to Ayr. The government finally agreed to build a combined high and intermediate school. An "intermediate school" was a new idea back then. It was for students aged 12–13. It offered a two-year course to help them get ready for high school.

The plans for the new school were drawn in late 1934. This was done by the Queensland Government Architect's office. During the 1930s Great Depression, the government started projects like this. They wanted to create jobs for people. This school was built as part of that plan.

The school was built on a site that used to be a showground. It was chosen as a high school reserve in 1921. The two-story brick building was started in mid-1935. It officially opened on March 1, 1937. There were 77 high school students and 203 intermediate students. The building cost about £16,000. It had workshops, storage rooms, and a play area downstairs. Upstairs, there were 8 classrooms, offices, and a home economics section.

The intermediate section stopped in 1963. Since 1964, the school has been known simply as Ayr State High School.

What the School Looks Like

Additional wing, Ayr Intermediate School, August 1940

Ayr State High School is a brick building that stands tall. It has a corrugated iron roof with a ventilator and a flagpole on top. The main entrance sticks out at the front. On each side, classroom wings are connected by verandahs. These wings are only one classroom wide. This helps air flow through the rooms. The verandahs have cool arched openings. These arches create open play areas underneath. The details around the arches are highlighted with a special finish called stucco.

The school grounds are very spacious. They have large grassy areas and many big shade trees.

Why It's a Heritage Site

Ayr State High School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1995. This is because it meets several important rules:

It shows how Queensland's history has changed. The school was built between 1934 and 1936. It's part of a group of important buildings in Ayr. These buildings show how much the area grew when the sugar industry expanded. The school also shows that the government saw Ayr as a major regional town back then. It also represents the "Intermediate School" system. This was an education idea tried in Queensland during those years.

It's a great example of its type of building. Ayr State High School is a wonderful example of a school building. It was built by the Queensland Public Works Department. They were known for creating beautiful buildings. The use of brick and classic design is typical for government buildings from that time. It's also designed well for the hot North Queensland climate. It's raised off the ground, has wide verandahs, and ventilators.

It's beautiful to look at. The school is important because of its beautiful design. It has classic details, like the arched entrance. Its symmetrical layout, with the central part sticking out, is very pleasing to the eye.

Images for kids

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  Additional wing, Ayr Intermediate School, August 1940