150 years: Mount Wallace Primary School

Learn about the history of Mount Wallace Primary School, one of Victoria's oldest public schools.

Key information

Address:
Old Geelong Road, Ballan, 3342
Opened:
23 January 1871
Closed:
27 June 1997
School type:
Primary
School number:
1018
Other names:
Mount Wallace Common School, Mount Wallace State School

Search for more school profiles

The history of Mount Wallace Primary School

  • 1871

    Mount Wallace opened as a common school in 1871.

    The first head teacher was Roderick Robertson. Classes were held in a timber schoolhouse.

  • 1870s

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

    A house with 2 rooms was built for the head teacher in 1876.

  • 1895

    Because student numbers were low, the school became part-time. Mount Wallace shared the teacher with Beremboke State School (No.1017). The teacher taught across both schools.

    Trees were planted in the school grounds in 1895.

  • 1898

    The school closed in March and reopened again part-time in June 1898.

  • 1899

    The school closed again in March 1899. It remained closed for 5 years.

  • 1904

    Mount Wallace reopened on 14 November 1904 but closed one year later.

  • 1919

    The school remained closed until 1919. It reopened part time and again shared the teacher with Beremboke State School (No.1017).

  • 1927

    The school closed in July 1927.

  • 1928

    Mount Wallace reopened part time in 1928 and shared the teacher with Bungeeltap South State School No. 1751.

  • 1932

    The school closed in October 1932.

  • 1950

    Mount Wallace reopened full-time on 1 August 1950. Classes were held in the supper-room of a community hall.

  • 1957

    A new school was built on the private land of Mr L.E. Spriggs.

  • 1970

    The school was renamed Mount Wallace Primary School in 1970.

  • 1997

    Mount Wallace Primary School closed in 1997.

Find more interesting facts about this school

The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) is the archive of Victoria's State and local government. They look after some of our oldest school records, and we can use these records to help us understand what school life used to be like.

Now it's your turn to do some detective work. PROV currently only have paper records for this school. Take a look to see what info they have on this school.

Find all the records PROV holds for this school(opens in a new window)

Updated

Back to top