Forest Hill State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forest Hill State School |
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Forest Hill State School, residence viewed from the north, 2014
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| Location | 15 Church Street, Forest Hill, Lockyer Valley Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Built | 1892–1906 (residence) |
| Architect | Queensland Department of Public Works |
| Official name: Forest Hill State School | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 1 May 2015 |
| Reference no. | 602851 |
| Type | Education, research, scientific facility: School-state |
| Theme | Educating Queenslanders: Providing primary schooling |
| Builders | Luder |
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Forest Hill State School is a school in Forest Hill, Australia. It has a special teacher's house that is listed as a heritage site. This house was designed by the Queensland Department of Public Works and built between 1892 and 1906. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on May 1, 2015, because of its important history.
Contents
A Look Back: The School's History
Forest Hill Provisional School first opened its doors in January 1893. It was a small timber building, built on a 1-acre site in Church Street. This area was a farming community called Forest Hill.
From Provisional to State School
A "provisional school" was a temporary school for smaller towns. It could open with just 15 students. Local communities would build the school and find a teacher. The government would then help pay the teacher's salary. These schools were often built quickly by volunteers.
By 1899, Forest Hill had grown a lot. This was partly because the government bought more land nearby for farming. The Queensland Agricultural College also opened close by. Because of this growth, Forest Hill Provisional School became a "state school" in 1899. State schools were bigger and more permanent.
The Teacher's House: A Building with History
When the new state school building was finished in 1898, the old provisional school building got a new job! It was changed into a house for the teacher. More rooms were added around 1906. Even though the main school buildings have been replaced since then, this original building is still used as the teacher's home today.
Most state schools in Queensland had a house for the teacher, especially in country areas. This was a way to help teachers, as their pay was often low. It also meant someone was always on site to look after the school.
The teacher's house at Forest Hill was special because it was once the school itself. It was changed to have bedrooms, a kitchen, and other living spaces. In 1906, more rooms were added because the head teacher, James McNally, had six children and needed more space!
Forest Hill: A Busy Farming Town
Forest Hill became a very important farming town. It was once one of the busiest places in Queensland for loading farm produce onto trains. The railway came through in 1866, and a train stop was set up near Forest Hill. This helped the town grow quickly. By the early 1900s, Forest Hill was sending out more farm goods by train than bigger towns like Gatton and Laidley.
Special Trees: The Bunya Pines
Two large bunya trees were planted near the school's front gate by 1910. These trees are still there today! Planting trees and creating gardens was a popular way to make schools look nicer. It also taught students about hard work and caring for nature. The bunya trees are a well-known feature of the school and the town.
Changes Over Time
The school continued to grow. In 1914, it had its highest number of students: 166 pupils and 5 teachers. After World War II, road transport became more common than trains. This meant Forest Hill's importance as a loading centre for farm goods slowly decreased.
Even so, Forest Hill State School got a brand new school building in 1965. The old school buildings were sold. Today, the school still plays a big part in the Forest Hill community. Generations of students have learned there since 1893.
What Does It Look Like?
The teacher's house and the two large bunya trees are located within the Forest Hill State School grounds. The school is on a large site bordered by Church, Kent, and Dyer Streets.
The Teacher's House
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The teacher's house was built in three main stages. The oldest part (from 1892) was the original provisional school. A kitchen area was added in 1898, and another extension was built around 1906.
The house is made of timber and sits on low concrete stumps. It has a front verandah (a covered porch) and an enclosed L-shaped verandah at the back. The roof is made of corrugated metal.
The front verandah has timber railings and steps in the middle. The windows are old-style timber windows. You can still see a rectangular vent in the gable (the triangular part of the wall under the roof) at the front, which helped with air flow in the old school building.
Inside, the house has a central hallway. The main part of the house has two bedrooms and a long living room. The kitchen and dining room are in the back section. The side extension has two more rooms and a bathroom. Many of the internal walls are single-skin, meaning you can see the timber boards. The floors are timber. Many of the old doors are still there, some with their original locks.
The house is set back from the street and has a fenced yard. Its style fits in well with the other old timber houses and churches in Forest Hill.
The Bunya Trees
The two bunya trees are very tall and have wide branches. They are a well-known feature of the street and the area. They stand about 8 meters apart, just inside the front fence of the school.
Why Is It Heritage-Listed?
Forest Hill State School was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 2015 for several reasons:
- Showing Queensland's History: The teacher's house shows how education in Queensland changed over time. It started as a provisional school, then became a teacher's house. This shows how the government helped fund schools and provided homes for teachers in rural areas.
- Showing Key Features of Early Schools: The place shows what early Queensland schools were like. This includes using standard designs, changing old school buildings into teacher's homes, and planting trees in school grounds. The house still has its original low shape, narrow width, old windows and doors, and front verandah. The additions show how the building was changed for living in and how homes were adapted for teachers and their families. The two bunya trees are great examples of the special trees planted in Queensland school grounds.
- Strong Community Connection: Schools are very important to Queensland communities. They connect past students, parents, and teachers. They are a place for community events and a source of local pride. The Forest Hill State School has a strong link to the Forest Hill community. The teacher's house was built as a provisional school thanks to local fundraising. The school has helped educate generations of students in Forest Hill. The bunya trees are also a special landmark for the community.
See also
- List of schools in West Moreton
- History of state education in Queensland
