North Sydney Technical High School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Sydney Technical High School
Former North Sydney Technical High School building (now Greenwood Hotel)
Location	36 Blue Street, North Sydney, North Sydney Council, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1876–1877
Architect	George Allen Mansfield (original) William E. Kemp (1891 extension to north) Walter Liberty Vernon (1900; 1902 addit.)
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: North Sydney Technical High School (former); St Peters Presbyterian School; St. Leonard's Public School; St. Leonard's Superior Public Boys' School; Greenwood Plaza; North Sydney Technical School
Type	State heritage (complex / group)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	517
Type	School - State (public)
Category	Education
Builders	W Jago
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The North Sydney Technical High School building is a special historic site in North Sydney, Australia. It used to be a public school, a Presbyterian school, and an education center. Today, it is a pub.

The building is located at 36 Blue Street. It was designed by George Allen Mansfield, William E. Kemp, and Walter Liberty Vernon. It was built between 1876 and 1877 by W Jago. This historic place is also known by many other names. These include St Peters Presbyterian School and St. Leonard's Public School. The property is privately owned. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.

Over the years, the school changed its name many times. It started as St Leonards Public School. It eventually became North Sydney Technical High School. The school closed its doors in 1969.

History of the School Building

Before 1788, the land where the school stands was home to the Gammeray people. They were an Aboriginal group. They were known for being strong and numerous.

In 1789, many Indigenous people in Sydney died from smallpox. By 1830, very few Aboriginal people lived in Sydney.

The School Site's Journey

Former technical college, now Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney, November 2007.

The school first opened as St Peters Presbyterian School. It was on Blues Point Road. In 1874, the government took over the school. The area of St Leonards was growing fast. A new state school was needed.

In November 1875, the government bought land for the school. It cost A£1,800. The land was perfect because it was central. It also had great views of the harbor.

Architect George Allan Mansfield designed the new school. He was famous for building many schools. His plans included a new stone building. It was in the Gothic Revival style. It could hold 100 children. There was also a small religious room. A new home for teachers was built too.

W. Jago built the school. It was made of local Hawkesbury sandstone. The roof had special hexagonal slates. The school cost £4,700. This showed how important it was. In March 1877, St. Leonard's Public School opened. It had 320 students. The building had a tall bell tower. It became a famous landmark. You could see it from the city.

In 1882, the school grew. It had 365 students. Separate areas for girls and infants were added. In 1883, the rocky playgrounds were paved. Nimrod Greenwood became the headmaster in 1884. Two years later, the school changed its name. It became St. Leonard's Superior State Public School.

In 1890, gas was connected to the school. Technical classes like shorthand and drawing began. In 1891, more land was bought. A new building was added in 1892. This allowed 180 more students. The new part made the building look like an "H" shape. Architect William Kemp designed this addition. By September 1892, there were 820 students.

In 1893, the Girls' Department moved. This made more room for infant classes. Windows were added for more light. New fences were put up. The school was renamed St. Leonard's Superior Public Boys' School.

In 1898, another building was needed. It could hold 100 more boys. In 1900, more land was bought on Miller Street. Two years later, a girls' block was built. This cost £3,300. It allowed 450 more girls to enroll.

In 1908, government architect W. L. Vernon made changes.

• Three new doors were added upstairs.
• Two new doors were added downstairs.
• The original front door was closed up.
• Most fireplaces were bricked up.
• Verandahs on the north side became a corridor.
• New folding walls were put inside.
• The front verandah on the south side was removed. This let more light into classrooms.
• An extra outside staircase was built.

In 1911, more changes were made. Concrete supports were used instead of arches. This made the building lighter.

The school was renamed North Sydney Public School in 1910. But many still called it "Greenwood's School." This was after the popular headmaster, Nimrod Greenwood. In 1912, secondary classes began. The school became North Sydney Intermediate High School. In 1913, additions were made to the Miller Street building. This allowed North Sydney Junior Technical High school to open there. In 1914, Nimrod Greenwood retired. He had served the school for 30 years.

After Greenwood retired, the girls moved. They went to the new North Sydney Girls' High School in 1914. In 1915, the older boys moved. They went to North Sydney Boys' High School. In 1920, the school was renamed North Sydney Boys' Intermediate High School.

In 1936, the school had 703 students. It was renamed North Sydney and Chatswood Junior High School. From 1943, it was called North Sydney Technical High School. It closed in 1969. After that, it was used as an Educational Resources Centre.

Saving the School Building

In the 1970s, the school building was not cared for. It was often damaged. In 1978, it was listed on a national heritage register. In 1980, a company wanted to lease the site. They planned a big complex. But they could not get approval.

The future of the school was uncertain. In 1987, the NSW State Government announced its sale. The government wanted to keep the original sandstone building. They also wanted to save 60% of the site as open space. Three large fig trees had to stay. A path to the train station was also planned.

Groups like The Old Lions (former students) and the North Shore Historical Society were worried. They wanted to protect the school. In June 1987, the Heritage Minister, Bob Carr, helped. He listed the school on the NSW Heritage Act. This protected the building and the fig trees.

The site was sold for a record $47.1 million. A new 36-level tower was planned. It would have offices and shops. The old school building would become a pub and restaurant. Construction started in 1989.

Digging around the school was a big challenge. Workers had to hold the school up. They dug underneath it. They made its foundations stronger without causing damage. Wind tests were done for the new tower. The school's old chimneys were made stronger with steel rods. A shopping plaza was built underground. It connected to the North Sydney railway station and other streets.

In 1991, the project faced money problems. A new contractor took over. In 1992, Optus Communications leased the tower. The plaza was finished early in October 1992. The Mirvac Group bought the site in 1994.

Some brick school buildings were removed for the tower. The original school building became a hotel around 1991. In 1997, a childcare center was approved. It was built at the base of the Optus tower. In 2017, the Greenwood Hotel lease was offered for sale.

School's Growth and Changes

The school's story began in 1844. It started in a small wooden cottage. Later, it moved to a stone school house. A new school building was built in 1877. It was in the Gothic Revival style. It opened in 1878. It taught boys and girls from infants to primary school. More classrooms were added in 1893.

People often called it "Greeny’s." This was for Nimrod Greenwood. He was the headmaster for a long time (1884-1914). The school grew and changed over the years. Its name and what it taught changed. This reflected the needs of the growing North Sydney community.

Here are some of the school's names over time:

• 1874: St Leonards Public School
• 1886: St Leonards Superior Public School
• 1910: North Sydney Superior Public School
• 1912: North Sydney Intermediate High School.
• 1914: Girls who finished "Intermediate" studies moved to the new North Sydney Girls High School.
• 1915: Boys who finished "Intermediate" studies moved to the new North Sydney Boys High School.
• 1931: Younger students moved to the new North Sydney Demonstration School.
• 1934: Some staff and girls moved to the new Willoughby Home Science School. This was because school buildings were removed for the Harbour Bridge road.
• 1936: North Sydney & Chatswood Boys Junior High school
• 1942: North Sydney Technical High School

The school closed in 1969. This was because North Sydney was becoming more commercial. The remaining students moved to North Sydney Boys High School. Many teachers moved to Killara High School. The school's large library also went to Killara High School. The Old Lions group worked to save the building. They wanted it restored and heritage-listed. The old stone building is now the Greenwood Hotel.

Building Features and Changes

Building Area

The school building is surrounded by special features. On the south side, a large Moreton Bay fig tree stands. It hides the school from Blue Street. Bus stops are also in front. The Pacific Highway side has a two-story front of Greenwood Plaza. The school is behind it on a higher level.

On the west side, the school faces Gas Lane. The protected area goes about 4 meters into this lane. On the east side, it goes about 4 meters from the school's front. On the north side, a skylight structure for the plaza below is part of the protected area.

Changes Over Time

The school building has been changed many times:

• 1882: Separate departments for girls and infants were added.
• 1890: Gas was connected. Classrooms were finished.
• 1891: More land was bought.
• 1892: A new building was added for 180 more students. It made the main building into an "H" shape.
• 1893: The Girls' Department moved. Windows were added for light. New fencing was built. Stone paving was replaced.
• 1898: A new building for 100 more boys was built.
• 1900 and 1902: A girls' block was built.
• 1908: Architect W. L. Vernon made changes. New doors were added. Fireplaces were bricked up. Verandahs on the north were enclosed. The front verandah on the south was removed for more light. An outside staircase was added.
• 1911: Concrete supports were used. Walls were changed to prevent dampness.
• 1913: Additions were made to the Miller Street building. This allowed the High School to teach technical and business classes.
• 1914: Girls moved to the new North Sydney Girls' High School.
• 1915: Boys moved to North Sydney Boys' High School.
• 1969: The school closed. It became an educational resources center.
• 1970s: The building suffered from vandalism.
• 1989: Construction started for a new complex. This included a 36-level tower. Workers dug 145,000 square meters of sandstone around the school. They held the school up while digging. Chimneys were made stronger with steel rods. A shopping plaza was built underground. It connected to the train station and other streets.
• 1992: The Plaza was completed.

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Famous Former Students

The Old Lions

"The Old Lions" is a group for former students and teachers. They help people connected to the school stay in touch. They send newsletters and hold reunions. They also give a money award to students at Killara High School. This award is for excellence in Technology and Applied Studies. The group keeps many old school items in an online database. Even though the school closed over 40 years ago, many people are still part of The Old Lions.

Notable Alumni

Many famous Australians went to this school:

• Trevor Allan, rugby player and Australian captain
• Gavin John (Bon) Andrews, rugby player. A field is named after him.
• Rod Batterham, rugby player
• Winston “Blow” Ide, 1939 Wallabies team member
• Allan Border, cricket player
• Peter Brain, Anglican bishop
• Alan Cadman, government minister
• Barry Cohen, government minister
• David Colley, cricket player
• Richard Coxon, Olympic yachting
• Geoffrey de Groen, abstract artist
• James Devereux, 1908 Kangaroos team member
• Richard Dunn, artist
• Ken Eastwood, cricket player
• Peter Finch, international actor
• Ken Gulliver, baseball player
• Carl Halvorsen, boat builder
• David Humphreys, Olympic cycling
• Allan Livingstone, Olympic kayaks
• Ian Macphee, government minister
• Neville McWilliam, Australia's first blind lawyer
• Bill Morrison, government minister
• Gerald Bruce Muston, Anglican bishop
• Peter Myers, architect
• Colin Parker, landscape artist
• Bill (William) Ronald, Olympic fencer
• Peter Rothwell, rugby player
• Ken Shadie, co-writer of Crocodile Dundee
• Dick Smith, entrepreneur and adventurer
• James Staunton, chief judge
• Nancy Wake, World War II hero
• Bevan Wilson, rugby player
• Roger Woodward, world-famous pianist

Why the School is a Heritage Site

The Greenwood Hotel building is a special example of Gothic and Romanesque Revival styles. It still looks much like it did in 1908. The oldest part was designed by George Mansfield. He was a very important architect. Other parts were designed by William Kemp. He was another famous school architect.

This building was the first state school on the north shore of Port Jackson. It was also the first technical school there. The fact that it was used for education for so long (1877 to 1969) is very important. It has a strong meaning to the people in the area.

Today, the sandstone building is surrounded by open spaces and modern buildings. It has become an important area for shoppers, office workers, and locals. It is a popular place to walk, meet, and relax. The two remaining Moreton Bay Fig trees help keep the historic feel of the area. They are also important landmarks.

The sandstone building is a rare type of architecture. It is mostly unchanged. Its age shows the history of North Sydney. The school and its open setting with the fig trees are landmarks of North Sydney. People in the area respect its local and school history very much.

North Sydney Technical High School was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.