Leyburn State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leyburn State School |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Leyburn State School, 1995
|
|
| Location | Peter Street, Leyburn, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1883–1930s |
| Official name: Leyburn State School, Leyburn National School | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600827 |
| Significant period | 1880s–1900s (historical) 1880s–1930s (fabric) 1880s–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | residential accommodation – headmaster's house, school/school room, play shed |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Leyburn State School is a historic school located on Peter Street in Leyburn, Queensland, Australia. It was built between 1883 and the 1930s. This school is also known as Leyburn National School. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992 because of its important history.
Contents
History of Leyburn State School
The town of Leyburn started in the 1840s. It was a stopping point for settlers following a stock route. This route was first explored by the Leslie brothers in 1840. By 1853, the area was known as Leyburn. The first land sales happened in 1857.
By 1872, Leyburn had grown into a small town. It had a state school, a church, a police station, and a court house. There were also shops and hotels. The town was known for being quiet, except for a brief gold rush in 1871–1872. Most people worked as carriers on the road to Toowoomba or on nearby farms.
Leyburn was an important centre for government services. From 1852, it was a mail distribution point. In 1872, it got an electric telegraph system. This made it a key station between Sydney and Brisbane. Leyburn also became a place for holding courts in 1861. A police magistrate was appointed, and a lock-up (jail) was built. A court house followed in 1867.
Early School Days
Leyburn's first primary school, then called the National School, opened on 13 January 1862. It was one of the earliest schools in Queensland. It started with 46 students in a temporary hut. The local community had asked for the school in 1861.
A new school building was opened on 22 January 1865. It was built on the eastern side of the current school site. The school had one large school room and a smaller classroom. It had a covered porch at the main entrance. A verandah was added later. The school was made of timber, not brick, to save money and time.
Changes and Decline
The arrival of railways changed Leyburn's importance. In 1868, the railway from Toowoomba to Dalby was finished. In 1871, the line from Toowoomba to Warwick was completed. This meant less traffic passed through Leyburn. Later, in the 1900s, a new railway line from Warwick to Goondiwindi further reduced traffic.
The Playshed
A playshed was built in 1883. It was located west of the school house and teacher's residence. The playshed had a shingle roof. It was designed to be a general-purpose space for students. It offered shelter from the weather. Playsheds were common in early schools before buildings were raised on high stumps.
The playshed cost £151 to build. This was considered expensive for the time. Timber flooring was added to the playshed in 1887. The words "All are Welcome" were painted on one beam. In 1973 and 1974, the playshed's roof was re-shingled. The playshed is now part of the school's emblem.
A New School Building
The current main school building opened on 20 October 1934. The old school building was considered outdated. A new school and teacher's residence were built on Peter Street. The new school cost about £283. It was a raised timber building with a single classroom for 40 students. It had verandahs at the front and back. The space under the school could be used for play.
A new teacher's residence was also built. It cost £700. This house was for married male headteachers. It helped encourage teachers to work in country areas. It also meant someone was always on site to look after the school.
After the new buildings opened, the old school house and residence were sold. The old school building was moved to MacIntyre Street. It is still used as a private home today.
School Upgrades
The school building has been changed several times.
- In 1951, the classroom and verandahs were extended.
- In 1957, part of the eastern verandah was enclosed to create a library.
- In 1959, the building was converted into a two-classroom school.
- In 1976, a library and health service room were added.
The school celebrated its 125th anniversary in 1987. In the same year, a swimming pool was opened. In 1995, about 40 children were enrolled. In 2015, there were 36 students from Prep to Year 6.
What Leyburn State School Looks Like
Leyburn is a small village about 50 kilometres (31 mi) northwest of Warwick. The school grounds are on the western edge of the town. The main school building faces Peter Street. Behind it, under camphor laurel trees, is the playshed. To the south is the teacher's residence. To the north is a portable classroom. To the east are sports fields, a tennis court, and a swimming pool.
The School Building
The school building has two classrooms, which are used as one large space. It also has an office, a store, and a staff area. It is a tall timber building with a gabled roof made of corrugated iron. The original classroom walls are lined with tongue and groove timber boards. Newer areas have fibrous cement sheets.
On the west side, there is an open verandah. This is where students can hang their school bags. There are timber stairs at the front and back. On the east side, there is a small landing with the original school bell. The area underneath the school is mostly open.
The Playshed
The playshed is an open timber structure. It has a rectangular shape. Its gabled roof is made of large timber sections. It is covered with hand-split hardwood shingles. The roof has a wide overhang on all four sides. This creates large gablets covered in weatherboard.
The roof is held up by ten square timber posts. These posts are about 140 millimetres (5.5 in) wide. They are bolted to other posts and set into the ground. Inside, you can see the quality of the timber and how it was built. The words "All Are Welcome" are painted on a beam on the north side.
The playshed has a raised timber floor. It is one step above the ground. There are timber benches along the edges inside the posts. These benches leave openings in the middle for people to enter.
Why Leyburn State School is Important
Leyburn State School is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it is a special place that needs to be protected. It was listed on 21 October 1992 for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed.
The school opened in 1862 and moved to its current site in 1865. It was one of the first "national schools" in Queensland. It shows how the government invested in the town of Leyburn during its more prosperous times. The playshed, the school building, and the residence all show how the school site has changed over time.
- It shows rare parts of Queensland's history.
The playshed is a rare example of a building with a timber shingled roof that still exists. It is even more special because St Augustine's Anglican Church (1871) in Leyburn also has a shingled roof. Buildings made with large, carefully joined timber sections are also uncommon now.
- It shows what typical cultural places look like.
The school is a key part of Leyburn. Leyburn is a very well-preserved example of an early Queensland town. This town served the Darling Downs, which was Queensland's first and richest farming area. The Leyburn Playshed is one of the oldest surviving playsheds. Playsheds were common in schools in the 1800s. The school building and residence are examples of building types designed by the government for country schools.
- It is beautiful or well-designed.
The playshed is very well-designed and looks good. It combines local building styles and materials. It was built to suit the climate and to handle changing numbers of students.
- It has a strong connection to the community.
The school has been very important to the Leyburn community for a long time. It is the centre for local education and a place for community activities. The playshed, built in 1883, has become a symbol for the school and the local community.
- It is connected to important people or groups in Queensland's history.
The school and residence are good examples of building types developed by the Department of Public Works for the Department of Public Instruction.
