Tully State School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tully State School |
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Tully State School, 2011
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| Location | 17 Mars Street, Tully, Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1936–1937 |
| Architect | Department of Public Works (Queensland) |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Tully State School, Tully Rural School | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 13 January 1995 |
| Reference no. | 601577 |
| Significant period | 1930s (historical) 1930s (fabric) 1936–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | garden/grounds, school/school room |
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Tully State School is a special old school building located at 17 Mars Street in Tully, Australia. It was designed by the Department of Public Works (Queensland) and built between 1936 and 1937. This school is also known as Tully Rural School. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical place. It was added to this list on January 13, 1995.
Contents
A Brief History of Tully State School
Tully State School was built in 1936–37. It stands on the same spot where the first school was, which sadly burned down.
How Tully Town Began
The town of Tully started in the early 1920s. The Queensland Government decided to build a sugar mill in the Tully River Valley in 1922. The mill was built from 1924 to 1925. With the mill came new roads, a railway, bridges, and the town of Tully itself. The town began as a small settlement near Banyan Creek. It was officially surveyed as Tully in April 1924.
The First Schools in Tully
A temporary state school opened on June 30, 1924. It was in a metal shed at the mill site. A proper timber school building was then built on the current school land in 1925–26.
What Was a Rural School?
In late 1932, the Tully State School committee wanted the school to become a rural school. This was because the area was growing fast. The rural school system started in Nambour in 1917. In these schools, younger students learned the usual primary subjects. Older students learned practical skills. Boys learned manual arts, basic farming, and farm management. Girls learned home management and sewing. Rural schools served many students from a wide area. Having one was a sign of importance for a town. They were a key part of education until the 1960s. That's when state high schools became more common.
Tully Becomes a Rural School
By March 1934, the school committee had raised £200. This money was for building new facilities for manual training and home economics. A new building for these subjects opened on November 5, 1934. At this time, the school officially became Tully Rural School.
The Fire and Rebuilding
On November 22, 1935, Tully Rural School was destroyed by fire. Students had to go to temporary places. First, they used the showgrounds. Then, they moved to the local Irish Club and CWA halls. They stayed there until the new brick building was finished.
Plans for the new, strong brick school were made by the Queensland Government Architect's office. The main architect at that time was Andrew Baxter Leven. He worked for the Queensland Government from 1910 to 1951. Other architects involved were William Jestyn Moulds and Harold James Parr.
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the government started a special plan. This plan created jobs for architects, builders, and workers. They used local materials to build government buildings like schools. The new Tully Rural School was built as part of this plan. It was started by Labor Premier William Forgan Smith.
The new school cost about £13,000. It had 8 classrooms, a head teacher's room, and staffrooms. The area underneath the school was concreted. This made a large, sheltered play area for students.
A New Beginning and Special Gardens
Students started using the new building at the beginning of 1938. The school was officially opened on February 1, 1938. The Hon. Percy Pease, who was the local Member of Parliament and Deputy Premier, opened it. A new head teacher, Charles Arthur Irish, was appointed. He was told to make Tully a truly great rural school.
He started many projects, including:
- A forestry plot with Kauri and Hoop pines and Indian Teak trees.
- Annual plantings in the school grounds.
- A grove of maple trees.
- Raising poultry (chickens).
- A bushhouse for ferns.
- Garden rock walls.
- Manual training programs that made items for the school. These included blackboard frames and library cupboards.
A theatre was built under the school. A sports oval was also developed next to the forestry plot. The school gardens are now considered among the best in Queensland state schools.
The School During World War II
During the Second World War, student clubs raised money. They helped the local Red Cross and Comfort Funds. Boys grew and sold vegetables. Girls cut and sold flowers from the school gardens. At this time, the garden had over 300 rose bushes. Students in home economics made clothes for children in Britain. Large events were held every year. The money raised was shared between the school and patriotic groups.
After the war, special Memorial Gates were built. These gates list the names of past students and teachers. They served in the armed forces during the Second World War.
Changes Over the Years
A secondary department was added to Tully Rural School in 1951. It was in a temporary timber building. This department operated until a separate high school was built in Tully in 1964. Around this time, Tully Rural School went back to being called Tully State School. However, high school students still used the home economics and manual arts facilities at the primary school for some years.
Many other buildings have been added to Tully State School since 1937. However, these newer buildings are not part of the heritage listing.
What Tully State School Looks Like
Tully State Rural School is a single-story brick building. It has a corrugated iron roof with a small tower called a cupola. The building is raised up on brick pillars. This creates an open play area underneath. The building has a central entrance with a pointed roof section called a gable. There are also two gables at each end. These gables have a decorative pattern that looks like castle walls. Covered walkways, called verandahs, connect the gables. These verandahs have since been enclosed.
The school grounds are very well kept. They have many trees, palm trees, and bushes planted around them.
Why Tully State School is Important
Tully State School was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on January 13, 1995. It met the following important reasons:
Showing Queensland's History
Tully State School was built in 1936–37. It is a large building from the time between the two World Wars. It shows how Tully grew and became successful. This happened because the sugar industry expanded in the 1930s. It also shows that the government saw Tully as an important service center for the area during that time.
A Great Example of School Design
Tully State School is a great example of a school building designed for the North Queensland climate. It is raised above an open play area. It has wide verandahs and good ventilation. Using brick and simple decorations was common for government buildings then. Tully State School continues the tradition of excellent buildings made by the Queensland Public Works Department.
Its Beautiful Design
Tully State School is a fine example of buildings made by the Queensland Public Works Department. It is an outstanding school building designed by the office of the Queensland Government Architect. This office was considered one of the best architectural offices in Australia at the time.
