Tallegalla State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tallegalla State School |
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Tallegalla State School, 2009
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| Location | Rosewood-Minden Road, Tallegalla, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1879–1955 |
| Official name: Tallegalla State School (former) | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 February 1998 |
| Reference no. | 601687 |
| Significant period | 1870s–1880s (historical) 1870s–1930s (fabric school) 1930s (fabric residence) |
| Significant components | garden/grounds, play shed, school/school room, residential accommodation – headmaster's house |
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Tallegalla State School is a special old school building in Tallegalla, Australia. It's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical site. The school was built in 1879 and was used until 1955.
A Look Back: School History
Tallegalla School first opened its doors on June 10, 1879. It was built to serve the families living in an area called the Rosewood Scrub. When it first opened, there was a timber school building and a house for the teacher. The teacher's house was later replaced in 1931 with the building you see today.
The Rosewood Scrub Community
The Rosewood Scrub area, where Tallegalla is located, started to grow in the late 1870s. Settlers followed timber cutters who were clearing the thick forests. By 1880, many families had moved here, especially German migrants. The Queensland Government encouraged people to settle in rural areas like this.
After a law called the Land Act of 1868, land in the Rosewood Scrub, west of Brisbane, became available. This area became known as Tallegalla. A small town grew, with a school, a train station, a post office, churches, a hotel, and a cemetery. Today, not much of the old town remains, mostly just the school and the cemetery.
How the School Started
In January 1876, local people formed a school committee. They asked the Queensland Government to build a state school in Tallegalla. Mr. John Dart, the committee's secretary, wrote many letters. He suggested places for the school and asked for the area to be officially surveyed.
After a public meeting in October 1876, a formal request was sent. They suggested a two-acre plot of land owned by a local farmer, Wilhelm Arndt. He was happy to donate the land. This spot was central, near the post office, and on a high point, so it could be seen from far away. About 50 children aged 5 to 14 were expected to attend. The community also promised to raise about £50 to help with building costs.
The land was officially surveyed in November 1876. It was set aside for a school in August 1878. There was a delay in registering the land, but this was fixed later in 1938.
Building the First School
Local donations for the school reached £56. The first building was a single-room timber school. It was likely designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley, who was the Queensland Colonial Architect. He started a system of using standard school designs across Queensland.
The school building had a gabled roof and was raised on low timber stumps. It had verandahs on the north and south sides. These verandahs were partly enclosed at the ends on the northern side and had hand basins. The school still looks much like its original design. The inside was lined in 1926, and the southern verandah was enclosed from 1955 onwards. In 1938, some windows were changed to let in more natural light. This was because new ideas suggested that lighting from certain directions was better for studying.
The Teacher's Residence
Another important part of the school site was the teacher's house. It wasn't finished at the same time as the school, but plans were made by 1880. Having a house for teachers was important because it was thought to attract better teaching staff. By 1880, Mr. John Marquis was teaching at Tallegalla School, taking over from the first head teacher, Mr. Edward Henry Vivian Dunbar.
In 1880, the School Committee raised enough money for the Education Department to build a house. It was a simple four-room cottage with verandahs. Many changes were made to this house over the years before it was replaced in 1931. These changes included adding a back verandah in 1892, lining the inside in 1895, and adding a separate kitchen and bathroom in 1898. In 1911, two more detached bedrooms were added for the large family of the head teacher at the time, Daniel Courtney.
A New Teacher's House
By 1932, a new timber house was built to replace the old teacher's residence. A builder named EJ Wilton from East Ipswich was chosen for the job. The new house was a standard design called a Type 3 School Residence. These types of houses were built all over Queensland between 1929 and 1950. The building was finished in February 1933. By 1937, the verandah on the south-eastern corner was enclosed. Later, a toilet was added to this enclosed verandah space.
The Play Shed
When the new teacher's house was built, a detached bedroom wing from the old residence was moved and turned into a play shed. There had been an earlier play shed built around 1906, but by 1932, it was falling apart. The Department of Education agreed to use the old bedroom wing as a new play shed if it didn't cost them anything. By 1972, a newer steel-framed play shed was built, and the older one became a storage building.
School Grounds and Closure
Over the years, the school grounds changed a lot. In the late 1880s, the head teacher, John William Watkins, started planting trees. Many of the trees you see there today, like the beautiful jacarandas and fig trees along the driveway, were planted then.
The school closed in 1992 because there weren't enough students attending.
Exploring the School Site
The Tallegalla School is located on a ridge, which is the highest point in the area. It's bordered by Minden-Rosewood Road and Twotree Hill Road. The site has several buildings, including the original school room, the teacher's house from 1932, an early play shed, a newer play shed, water tanks, and many large, old trees and gardens.
Getting Around the Grounds
You can get to the school by a driveway from Minden-Rosewood Road. The driveway curves towards the school building and ends in a small round area. Along the driveway, there are many old trees, including jacarandas, a Moreton Bay fig, and a Bunya pine. The main buildings are lined up with Minden Rosewood Road. The teacher's house is closest to the corner of the two roads and is separated from the school area by a fence.
The School Building
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The school building is a single-story structure with a gable roof. It's raised on low timber stumps. The building is made of timber and has horizontal weatherboards on the outside. Inside, the walls are covered with VJ boarding. The roof is made of corrugated iron, which is also used for window awnings on the east and west sides.
The building has a rectangular shape with verandahs on the north and south sides. These verandahs are partly enclosed. A small timber stair in the middle leads to the northern side. This side has a semi-open verandah, with small enclosed areas at each end, which were part of the original design. Timber posts and a simple two-rail balustrade are next to the stairs. In the middle of both the north and south sides are simple entrance doors. The northern door has two casement windows made from the original sash windows next to it. Inside, the walls and ceilings are covered with VJ boarding, and the timber floor is covered with carpet.
The Teacher's House
The teacher's house is an elevated building with a mix of hipped and gabled roofs, covered in corrugated iron. It's a timber-framed building with weatherboards on the outside and VJ boards inside. The house has five main rooms, including a large kitchen with an old stove area, a bathroom, and a separate toilet. There's also an enclosed verandah on the south-eastern corner. Timber stairs lead to the front (south) and back (north) of the house.
The house has many casement windows, some in groups of four on the front, groups of three on the enclosed verandah, and groups of two elsewhere. Corrugated iron window hoods with timber sides provide shade for many of the windows. Inside, the walls and ceilings have VJ boarding, and the floors are timber. The internal doors usually have four panels.
The Play Sheds
The older play shed is a low, fully enclosed timber building with a gabled corrugated iron roof. It has two timber doors on the northern side, both with working transom windows above them. The doors are made of timber boards. The building has several old six-paned vertical sash windows. Inside, it's one open space with VJ timber boarded walls, a timber floor, and a timber boarded ceiling. You can still find old shelves and cupboards inside.
The newer play shed has a steel frame and is an open structure. It has corner posts supporting a shallow gabled roof covered in iron, and a concrete floor. It's built into a sloping part of the ground and has two low concrete block retaining walls.
There are also several corrugated iron water tanks on the site, all raised on timber or iron frames. Two concrete septic tanks show where the toilets used to be, north of the school building.
Why This Place is Special
The former Tallegalla State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on February 2, 1998. This means it's recognized as an important part of Queensland's history and culture.
A Glimpse into Queensland's Past
The Tallegalla State School is one of the few remaining parts of the old Tallegalla settlement. It was built in 1879 and shows how rural schools developed in Queensland. It also reflects how the Rosewood Scrub area was settled.
A Unique School Design
The school building is a rare example of a small timber school designed by the colonial architect, FDG Stanley. Not many of his timber school buildings are still standing today.
A Typical Rural School
With its well-preserved school building, the 1931 teacher's house, and the old play shed, the site is a good example of a small rural state school. It shows what these schools were typically like.
Beautiful and Important to the Area
The school grounds are very beautiful and stand out in the area. With its large, old trees and well-designed buildings on a high spot, it creates a lovely and memorable scene.
A Community Hub
The school has a strong connection with the local community. For about 115 years, it served as a school and a place for local meetings.
Connected to a Famous Architect
The school building is linked to FDG Stanley, a significant person in Queensland's history, as it's one of his few surviving timber school designs.
