Branyan Road State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Branyan Road State School |
|
|---|---|
Branyan Road State School, 2014
|
|
| Location | Branyan Drive, Branyan, Bundaberg, Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Built | 1905 (Teaching building), 1914, 1947 |
| Architect | Queensland Department of Public Works |
| Official name: Branyan Road State School | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 1 May 2015 |
| Reference no. | 602852 |
| Type | Education, research, scientific facility: School-state |
| Theme | Educating Queenslanders: Providing primary schooling |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Branyan Road State School is a special school with a long history, located in Branyan, near Bundaberg in Queensland, Australia. It was designed by the Queensland Department of Public Works and first built in 1905. This school is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 1 May 2015, meaning it's protected for future generations.
Contents
A Look Back: The School's History
Branyan Road State School first opened its doors on 14 April 1905. Back then, it was called Branyan Road Provisional School. A "provisional school" was a smaller, simpler school for areas with fewer students. In 1909, it became a full "state school," which meant it was bigger and had more resources.
The school has grown over the years. A playshed was added in 1914, giving students a covered area to play. Later, in the mid-1920s, another building was added to make the school even larger. This school shows us how education in Queensland has changed and how school buildings were designed to fit the ideas of the time. It also has a really old kauri pine tree, planted in 1914, and a special forest plot started around 1947.
How Schools Started in Queensland
Setting up schools was very important for the early communities in Australia. Schools helped towns grow and succeed. Often, local people would donate land and help build the school. The school then became a central part of the community, a symbol of progress, and a source of pride.
In the early days, a government state school needed at least 30 students. If there were fewer students, a "provisional school" could be set up for as few as 15 (later 12) pupils. If a town grew, a provisional school could become a state school. State schools usually had special buildings and better-qualified teachers.
To make sure schools were similar and not too expensive, the Queensland Government created standard building plans. From the 1860s to the 1960s, most Queensland schools were made of timber. This was easy and cheap, especially for remote areas. These standard designs were always being improved to make schools better for learning, with good lighting and fresh air.
Branyan's Early Days
Branyan Road State School was built because more European settlers came to the area along the Burnett River. Before Europeans arrived, this land belonged to the Kalki people. In the 1840s and 1850s, people started raising livestock here. Then, in the 1860s, timber cutters arrived.
By the late 1860s, people began to select land around Bundaberg to grow crops like sugar. A large farm called "Branyan Plantation" was set up by 1871. The school was named after the road that led to this plantation.
Bundaberg grew as a port and service center, especially after copper mining started nearby. It became a major sugar town, surrounded by sugar farms and refineries. Over time, many small European farmers took over from larger plantations, and more schools were needed for the growing population.
The School in the 20th Century
In 1904, a 5-acre (about 2 hectares) area was set aside for the school on Branyan Road. The Branyan Road Provisional School officially opened on 14 April 1905.
The first school building had one classroom and a front verandah. It was made of timber with a gable roof. Soon after the school opened, two mango trees were planted in 1906 to remember two men who died in an accident at a nearby sugar mill. Sadly, these trees are no longer there today.
In 1909, the government made it easier for provisional schools to become state schools. Branyan Road Provisional School became a state school by August 1909. A back verandah was added to the building shortly after.
The school grounds also improved over time. Planting trees and gardens was encouraged, especially on Arbor Days. This taught students about hard work and helped make the school look nice. In 1912, Branyan Road State School won an award for its gardens! A special kauri pine tree was planted by a student named Sydney Dittmann in 1914, and it's still a huge, impressive tree today.
The playshed, built in 1914, was a timber structure with a roof supported by six posts. It gave students a covered place to play and even learn outdoors. Playsheds were common additions to schools across Queensland.
The school continued to grow as the sugar industry in Bundaberg thrived. In the mid-1920s, the teaching building was made even bigger by adding another similar building. The school committee also built a tennis court.
A pine forest plot was started north of the school buildings in 1947. Students helped plant over 600 trees in the following five years. These "forestry plots" taught students about the importance of trees for the environment and the economy. They also helped schools earn extra money by selling timber. Today, the plot has different types of pine trees, including kauri, hoop, and slash pines.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Bundaberg grew a lot because of new irrigation projects and a deep-water port for sugar. Many new buildings were constructed in the town. Branyan Road State School also saw changes. In 1962, electric lights were installed. The building was changed in the mid-1960s to let in more light, with a long window high up on the north side. Parts of the back verandah were also enclosed to create storage rooms.
More buildings and changes happened at the school in later years. A new teaching block was built in 1984, and the original teaching building became a library, health services area, and staff room. New buildings continued to be added until 2001, and a new sports field was created in 1997.
The School Today
Around 2010, a multipurpose hall was built. The school grounds have also expanded, from about 2 hectares to 4.7 hectares today. While the school used to be surrounded by cane fields, new houses have been built, and it's now on the edge of town.
As of 2015, Branyan Road State School still has its original teaching building, playshed, and forestry plot. The old teaching building is now used for music lessons and storage. It's even featured on the school's logo! The school has been a very important part of the Branyan community since 1905, teaching many generations of students.
What Does the School Look Like?
Branyan Road State School is on a large 4.7-hectare site. It's located between Branyan Drive to the south and Tomato Island Road to the east. The school is surrounded by a mix of rural and suburban homes. A water treatment plant is next to the school on the west, and the Burnett River is about 350 meters away.
Most of the school buildings are in the southwest part of the grounds. The old forestry plot is next to the western boundary. The original teaching building faces Branyan Drive and looks out over a grassy area. This building is actually two similar buildings from different times (1905 and an older one from around 1892-1910) that were joined together in the 1920s. The playshed from 1914 is west of the teaching building.
The Teaching Building
The teaching building is a single-story, low-set timber building. It sits on concrete stumps and has a gable roof covered with corrugated metal. Most of the doors and windows are newer, but they are in the original openings. A special window high up on the north side lets in extra light. Windows on the east and west ends have timber hoods to protect them from the sun.
The building has verandahs (covered porches) on both the front (south) and back (north) sides, with timber stairs leading up to them. The verandahs have timber posts and floors. The front verandah has a timber railing, but the gates are new. Most of the back verandah's railing has been replaced with bag racks for storage. The ends of the back verandah have been enclosed to create small storage rooms.
Inside, the building has three rooms separated by timber walls. The walls and ceiling are covered with timber boards. You can see the timber roof beams inside. Modern windows are set into the roof beams. The floors are covered with carpet and linoleum, but underneath are the original timber floorboards.
The Playshed
The playshed is west of the teaching building. It's a timber-framed structure with a modern concrete floor and a hipped roof (a roof that slopes on all four sides) covered with corrugated metal. Six square timber posts hold up the roof, with braces connecting them to the roof frame.
The School Grounds
The school grounds are well-established with many mature trees. North of the playshed, you'll find a variety of large pine trees in the forestry plot. These include kauri, hoop, and slash pines, some planted in neat rows. The very large kauri pine planted in 1914 stands between the playshed and the forestry plot.
Other Structures
Other buildings at the school, like sheds, covered walkways, and play equipment, are newer and not considered part of its historical significance.
Why is Branyan Road State School Special?
Branyan Road State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 1 May 2015 because it meets several important criteria:
It shows how Queensland's history has changed. Branyan Road State School is a great example of how state education and school buildings have developed in Queensland. The teaching building is made of two early provisional school buildings (from 1892-1910) that were joined together in the 1920s. The playshed (1914) also shows how important play was in the school curriculum.
The forestry plot, started in 1947, shows a popular educational idea. It taught students about the importance of trees and also helped the school earn money.
It shows the main features of this type of historical place. Branyan Road State School shows the key features of Queensland state schools, including buildings with standard designs and large grounds with old trees.
The teaching building, made of two standard provisional school designs, shows what these early schools looked like. It still has its low-set shape, narrow width, original verandah slope, exposed roof beams, and vents in the gable ends.
The playshed from 1914 still has its open sides and timber-framed roof supported by timber posts.
The kauri pine tree, planted by a student in 1914, is a wonderful example of the special trees planted in Queensland school grounds. The forestry plot is also a great example of these tree plantings, with several different pine species.
It has a strong connection to the community. Schools are always important to Queensland communities. They have strong and lasting connections with past students, parents, and teachers. They are places for social events and volunteer work, and they represent local progress and hopes.
Branyan Road State School has a strong and ongoing connection with the Branyan community. It was started in 1905 thanks to the local community's efforts to raise money. Generations of Branyan children have learned there. The school has played a vital role in the educational development of Branyan.
See also
- List of schools in Wide Bay–Burnett
Images for kids
-
Branyan Road State School, 2014
