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Newbridge Primary School (No. 457)

Learn about the history of Newbridge Primary School, one of Victoria’s oldest public schools.

Key information

Address:
Old Tarnagulla Road, Newbridge 3551
Opened:
1 January 1861
Closed:
31 December 1993
School type:
Primary
School number:
457
Other names:
Newbridge School, Newbridge Common School, Newbridge State School, Newbridge Primary School

How to find enrolment and other school records

If the school is open: contact the school directly to access records.

If the school has closed: contact the Archives and Records branch via email archives.records@education.vic.gov.au or 1800 359 140 and they will assist you.

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The history of Newbridge Primary School

  • 1861

    Newbridge opened in 1861 under head teacher, Antony Lester.

    It was on the Loddon River in the Newbridge township, west of Bendigo.

    Newbridge was a prosperous goldmining town with a population of approximately 5,000.

    The town once had seven hotels, a flour mill, a cheese factory, two breweries, five churches and several private schools.

    The teacher's house was a two-storey Swiss chalet style building.

    The house is one of three similar buildings erected for teachers at the time. This was under the director of the Minister of Public Instruction, Arthur Otto Sachse.

  • 1960s to 1980s

    One of the two classrooms were demolished in the 1960s to build a new room.

    The new school room was first used in 1964.

    Workers discovered a bottle under the old building with newspaper clippings from 16 March 1867.

    Corregated iron water tank at Newbridge Primary School between 1970 and 1999.
    Newbridge Primary School between 1970 and 1999. (Source: J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria)
    Two storey School Master residence at Newbridge Primary School in 1980.
    School Master residence at Newbridge Primary School in 1980. (Source: J.T. Collins Collection, La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria)

  • 1993

    The school closed in 1993 due to declining enrolments.

  • 1996

    The building and Swiss chalet were sold in 1996.

Find more information 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.

Archival image: a list of student names in a school's enrolment register from 1914

Oldest enrolment record

This register lists students enrolled at Newbridge dates from 1870 to 1890. It is the oldest register PROV have for this school.

Archival photo of the front of a Victorian school inspector's report book from the 1900s

Oldest school inspection record

This inspector report book is dated from 1943 to 1962. It is the oldest review of school performance that PROV have for this school.

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

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