Picnic Bay State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Picnic Bay State School |
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Picnic Bay State School building, 2009
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| Location | 11–15 Granite Street, Picnic Bay, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1921 |
| Architect | Queensland Department of Public Works |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Magnetic Island Craft Shop, Magnetic Island State School No. 1567, Picnic Bay State School | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 4 June 1996 |
| Reference no. | 601252 |
| Significant period | 1920s (historical) |
| Significant components | trough – drinking, school/school room, hand basin/s |
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The Picnic Bay State School used to be a school but is now the Magnetic Island Museum. It's located at 11–15 Granite Street in Picnic Bay, Queensland, Australia. The Queensland Department of Public Works designed this building, and it was built in 1921. It's also known as Magnetic Island State School No. 1567 and the Magnetic Island Craft Shop. This important building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on June 4, 1996.
History of Picnic Bay State School
The Magnetic Island State School was built in 1921. It likely replaced an older school building from 1913. A local builder named Mr. Shrock probably built it.
Early Settlement on Magnetic Island
The Butler family were the first settlers on Magnetic Island in 1877. Harry Butler and his family started a small farm in Picnic Bay. They grew fruits like pineapples. They also built small huts near their home. This made the island a popular holiday spot for people from the mainland. The family also started a ferry service. Other settlers began farms in different bays by the early 1900s. They grew vegetables and fruit to sell on the mainland.
Tourism and the Need for a School
Tourism on Magnetic Island really grew when Robert Hayles built a hotel in Picnic Bay in 1901. The island became famous as a holiday place. Many people moved to the bays and opened guesthouses. Tourism is still a main way of life for many people on Magnetic Island.
As more people settled on Magnetic Island, there was a need for a local school. In Queensland, free education started in 1875. However, parents often still had to pay fees or help with building costs. Also, children didn't always have to go to school before 1900. Children from Magnetic Island who went to school usually stayed on the mainland. They attended schools in Townsville.
Changes in Education Laws
Changes to education in Queensland were slow. This was because of money problems in the late 1800s. Things started to change after 1912. A new law meant parents no longer had to pay for their children's education. The minimum age for leaving school went up from 12 to 14. It also made sure children had to attend primary school.
These rules made things hard for families on Magnetic Island. Children had to go to school on the mainland. They had to stay with friends because Townsville schools didn't have boarding facilities. The lack of schools on the island became a big problem as more people moved there.
Establishing a School on Magnetic Island
In November 1912, some Magnetic Island residents formed a committee. They wanted to start a provisional school on the island. A school inspector visited Picnic Bay. He suggested a half-time school. A teacher from the mainland would teach on Thursday afternoons, and all day Friday and Saturday.
In April 1913, the Department of Public Instruction agreed. If parents could find a place for the school and the teacher, a half-time school would be approved. Mary McLennan was the first teacher. She started on June 12, 1913. The first school was an open shed with a concrete floor. The half-time school became a provisional school in 1915. On June 1, 1920, it officially became a state school.
A New School Building
In 1921, the Magnetic Island community asked for a new school building. The Townsville City Council also pushed for a new building. They said new space was needed for the 27 students. So, a new one-room school house was built in 1921. It was designed by the Department of Works. The new school had open verandahs at the front and back. It cost £785. The older school building then became a play shed.
In November 1924, the Department of Public Instruction suggested changing the school's name. They wanted to call it Picnic Bay State School. This was because another school had opened on the island. The school committee agreed to the name change in January 1925. In October 1927, the Picnic Bay Progress Association asked to rent half the school grounds for a sports field. The Department said no. But they agreed that the school grounds outside the fenced area could be used for fun activities.
School Improvements and Closure
In the 1930s, the school committee worked hard to get a well and a windmill. They succeeded, and these were built in 1937. In September 1939, the front verandah's south end was enclosed. This made a hat room. The old play shed was taken down in July–August 1940. Electricity was connected in late 1955. The back verandah was enclosed in 1958. This created more classroom space.
By the 1960s, there were three schools on Magnetic Island. The Education Department decided to close the schools at Picnic Bay and Horseshoe Bay. They chose to develop the school at Nelly Bay instead. This was because Nelly Bay was in the middle of the island. The Picnic Bay State School closed in May 1970. The building was empty until 1980. Then, the Magnetic Island Craft Co-Operative used it as a shop. Later, it became the Magnetic Island Museum.
Building Description
The former Picnic Bay State School building has one main room. It has a verandah at the front and an enclosed verandah at the back. All the windows have timber and iron hoods for protection. The roof is now made of corrugated iron, but the original gutters are still there.
Exterior Features
The outside of the building is covered with 14 cm wide chamferboard. It is built high off the ground on concrete stumps. Steps in the middle of the front lead to the verandah. The front verandah has exposed timber framing. The right end wall and part of the front are enclosed with weatherboard. The rest of the verandah has simple balustrades made of broomsticks. The original front door is still there. It is a heavy timber door with its original latch.
Interior Features
The main central room is 6.8 meters by 6.7 meters. The timber floorboards throughout the building are 8.5 cm wide. The walls and ceiling boards are also this width. The ceiling in the main room is flat and slopes down towards the front and back walls. Air flows through a latticed vent in the middle of the ceiling. There are also movable floor vents at the bottom of the front wall. Windows on the north and south walls allow air to flow across the room. Each pair of windows has a three-paned window above that can be opened. The fittings on the southern wall windows are original.
You can get to the enclosed back verandah through a wide archway in the back wall. The inside walls of the back verandah are lined with fibro. Hopper windows have been put in the north and south walls. The tongue and groove ceilings on both verandahs slope down like the main ceiling. The original back door is made of tongue and groove boards and still has some old fittings. The back steps seem original and lead to a small landing.
Grounds and Other Features
Outside the building, on the southern wall, you can still see parts of two old tank stands. The original drinking trough and hand basin are still in their first spot under the building. A newer toilet block has been built under the back of the building. The grounds have introduced trees like tamarind and frangipani. There are also gum trees, a Norfolk Island pine, and some Burdekin plums. A cyclone wire fence surrounds the grounds.
Heritage Listing
The former Picnic Bay State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on June 4, 1996. This means it is an important historical place.
Why It's Important
- Shows Queensland's History: The old school is important because it shows how tourism and settlement grew on Magnetic Island. It also shows how people cared more about education in the early 1900s.
- Example of School Design: The building is also important as an example of a one-room school. This type of school was common in remote parts of Queensland in the 1920s.
