150 years: Taradale Primary School

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

Key information

Address:
98 High Street , Taradale, 3447
Opened:
1 April 1855
School type:
Primary
School number:
614
Other names:
Taradale National School, Taradale Common School, Taradale State School

The history of Taradale Primary School

  • 1855

    Taradale opened as a national school in 1855.

    Most of the local population was involved in gold mining.

    The first head teacher was Peter Farrington and there were 27 students enrolled (11 girls and 16 boys).

    The average number of students was 18.

  • 1858

    The head teacher was John Puckey and Eliza Puckey also taught at the school.

  • 1870s

    Sometime in the 1870s the school became a state school.

  • 1874

    The bluestone and brick schoolhouse was extended.

  • 1877

    The average number of students was 205.

  • 1900s

    A new timber teacher's house was built around the turn of the century.

  • 1910s to 1930s

    Attendance fell to about 75 round the time of the First World War. It remained consistent until the 1930s.

  • 1930s

    In the 1930s mining and business in the town slowed and the population decreased.

  • 1970

    The school named changed to Taradale Primary School.

  • 1995

    The building from closed Metcalfe Primary School (No. 851) was moved to Taradale. It was used as a multi-purpose room.

  • 2005

    Taradale observed its 150th anniversary with a plaque at the entrance of the school building.

     

  • 2010

    Front view of Taradale Primary School around 2010. Basket ball court at rear of Taradale Primary School building around 2010.
  • 2022

    Taradale Primary School is still in operation today. The original school house is still in use.

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. Take a look to see what information they have on this school.

Updated