150 years: Tarrenlea State School

Learn about the history of Tarrenlea State School, one of Victoria's oldest public schools.

Key information

Address:
Coleraine, 3315
Opened:
1 May 1872
Closed:
9 January 1959
School type:
Primary
School number:
1041
Other names:
Salt Pans Common School, Salt Pans Common School

The history of Tarrenlea State School

  • 1870s

    The school opened as a common school in 1872. It was called Salt Pans School at the time.

    The first head teacher was Charles Hill.

    The average number of students in the first year was 21.

    The timber schoolhouse had an iron roof, a hardwood floor and was lined with canvas and papers.

    Salt Pans School became a state school between 1873 and 1878.

    The schoolhouse was divided into 3 rooms in 1878. The classroom and 2 smaller rooms that the teacher lived in.

    At this time the school had low student numbers so it became a part-time school. It shared its only teacher with Murndal State School (No. 1735), and the teacher split their time between both schools.

  • 1884

    The school closed for the first time in 1884. It later reopened.

  • 1885

    The school had low student numbers so it became a part-time school.

    It shared its only teacher with Redruth State School (No. 1685), and the teacher split their time between both schools.

  • 1894

    The school closed and re-opened several times by 1894. This time the schoolhouse was sold and moved elsewhere.

  • 1909

    Salt Pans opened again on a new site. The schoolhouse from Gringegalgona State School (No. 2758) was moved to Salt Pans.

    Gringegalgona had also closed. The head teacher when the school re-opened was June McGrouther.

     

  • 1923

    The school was renamed Tarrenlea State School.

  • 1959

    Tarrenlea State School was closed in 1959.

    The last head teacher was C. Mernik.

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.

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