150 years: Warrak Primary School

Warrak opened as a common school in 1866.

The first head teacher was James Carrighan, followed by Edward Keith. 

The school was located in the Mount Cole area, approximately 20 km east of Ararat. 

The area had been growing as a wood milling community since the 1850s. 

As this activity declined mill owners and workers planted and worked orchards. 

There were 66 students enrolled when the school first opened. 

The school at Warrak was open for two days a week and the school at the near-by Mt Cole for three days a week. 

The building was also used as a community hall and church. 

Between 1909 and 1925 teachers include: 

• Lilian Barkell 
• Olivia Herbert 
• JB Bell 
• Cath Leaky 
• James Towner 
• Ettie Muhuke 
• Daisy Lilley 
• Daisy Lewis 
• Miss A Young 

After 1925 teachers included:

• Ann C Byrne 
• Betty Gibbon 
• John Atchison 
• Catherine Cody 
• Gladys Lawson 
• HL Ryan 
• Marlin Sullivan 
• ML Smedley 
• G Spalding 
• E Blake 
• Mr Dawson 
• G McCourt 
• G Marshall 
• P Wadsworth 
• W Keen 
• W Meadows.

From 1919 to 1939, children from the Welfare Department attended to the school. The number of students enrolled increased.

In 1935, the building from the old Ballyrogan State School (No.1530) was moved to the Warrak School site. 

After the Second World War in 1945 the number of students enrolled at the school fell. 

Fruit growing in the area was slowly replaced with sheep and cattle grazing.

The name of the school changed to Warrak Primary School in 1970.

By the early 1970s there were 16 students enrolled at the school. 

At that time Warrak housed the school bell from the old Mount Cole School. The bell had a forked wooden stand made from a tree that had once grown on Mount Cole.

The school closed in 1985.

The building from the old Tatyoon State School (No. 1812) was moved to the Warrak School site.