Gayndah State School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gayndah State School
Gayndah State School, 2004
Location	33 Meson Street, Gayndah, North Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1840s–1860s (mid-19th century)
Built	1861–1862
Architectural style(s)	Gothic
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Gayndah State School
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	21 October 1992
Reference no.	600516
Significant period	1860s (historical) 1860s (fabric)
Significant components	school/school room
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Gayndah State School is a very old school located at 33 Meson Street in Gayndah, Queensland, Australia. It was built a long time ago, between 1861 and 1862. This school is so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's a special historical place.

History of Gayndah State School

How the School Started

The idea for Gayndah State School began in 1860. People in the Gayndah community sent their plans for a primary school to the Board of General Education. These plans were approved, and money was given to help build it.

Construction of the school started in 1861. The building was finished in 1862. The first teacher, Hercules Smith, began working there in September 1863. The school officially opened its doors in November 1873.

Gayndah Town's Early Days

The town of Gayndah was officially recognized in 1849. It grew as a central place for many large sheep farms in the Burnett region during the 1840s. Gayndah became an important administrative center. Besides the school, a post office and a court house were also built.

A bank, the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, opened in 1864. A local government, the Borough of Gayndah, was set up in 1867. Later in the 1800s, cattle farming became more popular than sheep. Citrus fruit farms also grew, helping Gayndah develop even more.

National Schools in Queensland

National Schools were a type of government school. They were first set up in New South Wales in 1848. When Queensland became its own colony in 1859, it continued this system. The Queensland Government passed a law in 1860 to create a Board of General Education. This board managed the National Schools across the new colony.

In 1860, two new National Schools opened in Brisbane. Many more schools were built in the following years. The Gayndah National School was built during a time when many new schools were opening. National Schools were the main type of government primary school until 1875. After that, big changes were made to education in Queensland.

Original School Building Design

The government had rules for how National Schools should be built. Communities could use approved plans or submit their own designs. The school rooms had to be at least 16 feet wide. If more than 20 students were expected, the room needed to be 18 to 20 feet wide. The rules also said that teachers' homes should have four rooms and a kitchen.

The first school building in Gayndah was made of brick. It had a main schoolroom that was 40 feet by 20 feet. There was also a smaller classroom for younger children, 12 feet by 20 feet, under the same roof. A wall separated these two rooms. A covered porch, called a verandah, ran along the eastern side of the building. The roof had three special windows called dormer windows. The year "1861" was carved into the front of the building.

Attached to the schoolroom was a home for the teacher. It had four rooms: two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a dining room, plus a kitchen. This was just as the rules said.

Changes to the School Building

The original school building has changed a lot over time. The main schoolroom is still there, but the wall that divided it from the infants' classroom has been removed. Some of the fancy wooden decorations on the front and two of the original dormer windows are still visible. One dormer window was covered up when the building was extended. The original verandah has also been changed.

The teacher's house was mostly taken down. Only one room, which was a bedroom, remains. It is now used as a storage room. The outside walls of the school, which were originally bare brick, have been painted white.

As the school grew over the years, other buildings were added around the original brick one. Most of these newer buildings are made of timber, which was more common for Queensland schools. The original brick building is still used today as a music room, a resource center, and a classroom. It is an important part of the Gayndah school complex.

What the School Looks Like Today

Gayndah State School is on the south side of Messon Street, which is the main street in Gayndah. The school has several buildings from different time periods. It also has beautiful, old trees and well-kept grounds. You can enter the school from Messon Street through a fancy wrought iron gate. This gate celebrates the school's 100th birthday and says "Centenary: 1863 - 1963".

The Original Brick Building

The oldest brick school building is at the western end of the school property. It's a small part of the whole school. A covered walkway connects it to a timber building next to it. This old building has one floor. It has a main part with a pointed roof (a gable) running north to south. There are also three parts that stick out, called wings. One wing goes west from the front (north) side, which was the teacher's original bedroom. Two other wings go east, which were added later.

The eastern side of the building forms a U-shaped open area, or courtyard. Part of the original verandah is still there. The building is mostly made of brick, with some timber on the newer eastern parts. The roof is made of corrugated iron.

The front (northern) side of the building has a special look. The gabled roof has decorative scalloped wood trim. There's also a carving that says "Erected AD 1861". A large window with many small glass panes and a corrugated iron cover is also on this side. The back (southern) side of the main part of the building has similar windows.

On the eastern side, you can still see two of the original dormer windows in the roof. There are also timber posts that support the roof of the remaining verandah. From this verandah, two original double timber doors with glass panels lead into the schoolroom. Above these doors are small windows called fanlights.

Inside the Original Schoolroom

The main part inside the old building was the original schoolroom. It's a large, open rectangular space. It has a high, curved timber ceiling with big wooden beams supporting it. You can see where an inner wall used to be, showing it was removed. There are two large windows with many panes at each end of the room. Inside, you can also see the third dormer window, but it's covered from the outside. The floor is carpeted, and the brick walls inside are smooth and painted. There are doors that open to the southern side of the building, one to the front porch, and one to the back.

Other School Buildings

The rest of the school complex spreads out to the east of the original building. The main part of the school has two long timber buildings that run side-by-side. These create a central garden area for students. There's also a tuck-shop building and a classroom wing behind the original building. The library wing is at the very eastern end of the school property.

Why Gayndah State School is a Heritage Site

Gayndah State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it meets certain important standards.

Showing Queensland's History

The original brick school building at Gayndah State School is important because it shows how Queensland's history developed. It was one of the first National Schools built in the new Colony of Queensland in 1861. These National Schools show how public education started and grew in Queensland. This system was a big step forward in social thinking at the time. It quickly improved schooling in Queensland and set the stage for the state education system we have today.

The other buildings at the school are also historically important. They show how school designs changed over time, with different architectural styles from various periods. The continued growth of Gayndah State School also shows that the school has been successful since 1861. The school also highlights how Gayndah became an important center for the surrounding farming region in the 1860s.

A Rare Example

Gayndah State School is special because it's a rare example of one of Queensland's earliest government schools. The 1861 building is one of only a few government school buildings from the 1860s that are still standing. It is also the oldest government school building in Queensland that is still being used today. It's also rare to find a school building made of brick from that time.

Showing Key Features of Old Schools

The 1861 building is important because it shows the main features of a National School from the 1860s. It was built following the rules that the Board of General Education in Queensland set to make sure school buildings were built to a good standard. The school as a whole also shows typical features of a Queensland State School that has grown over a long time, like standard timber buildings and planted trees.

Beautiful and Important Design

Gayndah State School is beautiful because it's a well-established school site. It adds to the look of Messon Street, the main street in Gayndah. It has old trees and plants in large grounds, and buildings of different styles that look good together. The decorative gate at the entrance makes a strong visual statement. The original 1861 building is especially beautiful. It's a charming brick building that shows good quality materials and craftsmanship in the Victorian Rustic Gothic style. The scalloped trim on the front gable, the dormer windows, the steeply sloped roof, and the compact size of this building all make it very appealing.

Strong Community Connection

Gayndah State School has a strong connection with everyone who has been part of the school community, both in the past and present. It's also important to the local community of Gayndah. It has been a place of education and a central gathering point for the community since 1861.