Mackay Central State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mackay Central State School |
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Mackay Central State School
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| Location | 251 Alfred Street, Mackay, Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1933 |
| Architect | Department of Public Works (Queensland) |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Mackay Central State School, Mackay Intermediate School | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 28 July 2000 |
| Reference no. | 601911 |
| Significant period | 1930s (historical) 1930s (fabric) 1933–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | school/school room, roof/ridge ventilator/s / fleche/s |
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Mackay Central State School is a special school in Mackay, Queensland, Australia. It's located at 251 Alfred Street. The school was designed by the Department of Public Works (Queensland) and built in 1933. It was once known as Mackay Intermediate School. This important building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 July 2000.
Contents
History of Mackay Central State School
Early Schools in Mackay
The first school on this site opened on 14 September 1871. It had 41 students. By 1885, the number of students grew to 650. Because of this, the boys and girls were taught separately. The boys stayed at the original site. The girls moved to a new site across the road. This new site is now the Mackay Entertainment Centre. In 1933, the boys and girls schools joined together again. They all moved to the girls' school site.
The Mackay Intermediate School
The current school building was built in 1933. It was first called the Mackay Intermediate School. Intermediate Schools were a new idea in 1928. They offered special training for older primary school students. After Grade 5, students who wanted job-focused training went to an Intermediate School. They studied Grade 6 and 7 subjects. They also took special vocational (job-related) classes. This plan helped schools share expensive training equipment.
Many Intermediate Schools were built in Queensland. By 1937, there were schools in places like Brisbane, Bundaberg, and Charters Towers. Mackay's school was built specifically for this purpose.
Building During the Great Depression
The Department of Public Works (Queensland) designed the school. It looks like other brick schools built in the 1930s. Brick schools were popular because they were strong and easy to maintain. Also, building them created many jobs. This was very important during the Great Depression of the 1930s. About 30 brick schools were built in Queensland during this time. They helped many people find work.
These schools were usually multi-storey buildings. This was different from most timber schools, which had only one floor. They often had a balanced design. They also featured classical style elements. A large main entrance was a common feature.
Laying the Foundation Stone
The foundation stone for the Mackay Intermediate School was laid on 22 July 1933. William Forgan Smith, the Queensland Premier at the time, did the honours. He was also the local MLA. The school was built for 600 students, both boys and girls. It had 14 classrooms. The eastern side had rooms for domestic science (like cooking). The western side had rooms for manual arts (like woodworking). Classrooms could be divided by folding timber walls.
Changes Over Time
After the new building was finished, primary students moved in. The Girls' School became the Infants School. Students went to the Infants School from Grade 1 to 5. Then they moved to the Intermediate School. From there, they could go to Mackay High School.
In 1967, the Infant and Intermediate Schools joined together. They became the Mackay Central State School. A new wing was added to the back of the building. This provided three more classrooms for the growing number of students. Other buildings, like a pre-school and activities block, were built later.
Since 2014, Queensland schools changed their system. Primary schools now teach from Preparatory to Year 6. Secondary schools teach from Year 7 to Year 12. In 2014, Mackay Central State School was a P-6 school. It had 201 students and 14 teachers.
School Building Description
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The Mackay Central State School is a two-storey building. It is made of brick and stucco (a type of plaster). It has three parts that stick out, called gable bays. The roof is covered with corrugated iron. The main front of the building is set back between these bays. There is also a single-storey section at each end. These sections have a hipped roof.
The main entrance has a porch with three archways. Its ceiling is made of half-timber. On the roof, there is an eight-sided fleche. This is a small spire-like structure. It has a copper cupola roof. It also has louvred arcading (like a series of arches) around its sides.
Most of the outside windows are original. They are multi-panelled casement windows. These open outwards like a door. Inside, the windows are multi-panelled sash windows. They have small top sections that open for air. The main entry doors have four glass panels at the top. Below these are solid rectangular panels. Inside, the doors are similar but made only of timber.
The school's design is balanced on both sides. The ground floor had six classrooms, a teachers' room, and a hallway. You can still see where a stove was in the domestic science classroom. This is in the eastern part of the building. The upper floor has eight classrooms. Three of these can still be divided by their original folding walls. The ceilings upstairs have half-timbered designs. Original air vents are still throughout the building. Bathrooms are at each end of both floors. The main building is mostly unchanged. Its original layout has been kept.
The school grounds have large, old Banyan fig trees (Ficus benghalensis). These are along the southern and western edges. There are also old mango trees on the grounds.
Why Mackay Central State School is Important
Mackay Central State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 July 2000. This means it is a very important historical place.
Showing Queensland's History
The school was built in 1933 as an Intermediate School. It shows an important change in Queensland education. From 1928, schools started offering job-focused training for older students. You can still see this practical approach today. For example, the old stove area in the domestic science room is still there.
The school also shows how the government helped people during the 1930s Depression. They started projects like building schools to create jobs. This was called the Unemployment Relief Scheme.
A Special Type of School
Mackay Central State School is a great example of an Intermediate School. Its design clearly shows its purpose. The domestic science area is in the eastern part. The manual arts area is in the western part.
Built in 1933, the school is also a good example of the brick schools built in Queensland during that time. It was a period of a lot of building activity.
Beautiful Design
The building is a beautiful example of a brick school from the time between the two World Wars. It is large and impressive. It stands out in the street. This was part of the Queensland Government's plan in the 1930s. They wanted to show how important primary education was by building grand schools.
Also, the old trees around the school, like the Banyan figs, add to its beauty.
Connection to the Community
The land where Mackay Central State School stands has been used for public education for over 100 years. Because of this, it has a very strong connection to the local community.
