Our Current "Themed" Display

Our latest display features artefacts, photos, and information about

OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, PAST & PRESENT

Our display cabinets in the front room plus display-maps in the dining room are now featuring our latest history theme: local schools. It is quite amazing to look back over the early education of our young ones – there were many rural schools catering for children on farms and in small rural “villages”. Most of the schools are now closed. Our display has a range of general education items and school memorabilia, old photos and information about many of our local schools. Here’s some interesting facts:

• There were over 30 rural schools around the Numurkah District between the late 1800s and into the mid-1900s.

• Early transport to your nearby rural school included:  horse & cart/gig, pony or the “ever-reliable” Shank’s pony (meaning one’s own legs – walking!!!). In later years, you might have been lucky enough to own a bike and you might have ridden it to school! Many rural schools had a section of the school fenced off as the horse paddock.

• Some schools changed their names (and occasionally, also locations) several times. Here’s some of the changed school names:  Baulkamaugh State School changed to Baulkamaugh North State School; Baulkamaugh West State School changed to Waaia State School; another Waaia State School changed to Waaia South State School, Dunbulbalane State School changed to Katandra North State School; Naring State School changed to Dunbulbalane State Schol; Dunbulbalane West State School changed to Invergordon State School; Kaarimba State School changed to Mundoona State School; another Mundoona State School changed to St Germains; Katunga North State School changed to Katunga State School , then to Katunga South State School; Sheepwash Creek State School changed to Mywee State School.

• Before Numurkah High School was formed in 1951, a Higher Elementary School (Yrs 7-10) provided local students (including many from the Cobram area) with a secondary education. If students wished to go further with their secondary education, they went to Shepparton High School or boarding schools, mainly in Melbourne.  The Higher Elementary School, and the later High School, was located on the State School’s grounds, until new High School buildings were opened in Tocumwal Rd in 1956-57.

• St Joseph’s School began in a wooden building, also used as the Catholic Church. It was originally located near the corner of Gray and Saxton Streets. The school was established by the Josephite Sisters, which was founded by Sister (later Saint) Mary MacKillop. 

• The Education Act of 1872 made Victoria the first Australian colony, and one of the first places in the world, to provide free, secular, and compulsory education to children. The Act required all children aged 6–15 years to attend school unless they had a reasonable excuse.

• Wunghnu and Waaia were the first local schools to open (both in 1877)…..with Wunghnu still going strong today! Numurkah State School opened in 1879. St Joseph’s School opened in 1890.