150 years: Avenel Primary School

Avenel was opened in 1856 by the Church of England.

The first head teacher was Edwin Richardson.

There were 20 students at the school.

Richardson built a new schoolhouse in 1860. He rented the building to the Board of Education.

Avenel became a common school in 1863.

The Kelly family attended the school from 1861 to 1866.

This included infamous bushranger, Ned Kelly.

The school became a state school at some stage between 1873 and 1878.

There were 67 students at the school in 1873. The schoolhouse was too small and some classes were held outside.

A new brick school with 2 rooms was built on a new site in 1874.

The head teacher in 1883 was Planck. 

Planck left the school after 16 years and was replaced by McConville.

There were 100 enrolled at the school and another room was added.

There were only 49 students at the school in 1947. Many families moved out of the area due to the depression.

An iron gate with pillars was installed. This was built to mark the 100th anniversary of the school.

The number of students at the school had been increasing since the end of the depression. There were 98 students in 1968.

The school was renamed Avenel Primary School in 1970.

The school had multiple building works in the 1990s. A new portable was added in 1992 and an administration area was added in 1994.A technology wing opened in 1997. 

The school mark its 150th anniversary in 2006. A history of the school was published.

Avenel Primary School is still in operation today.