150 years: Yeodene Primary School

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

Key information

Address:
Yeodene/Birregurra Road, Yeodene, 3249
Opened:
1 February 1872
Closed:
31 December 1993
School type:
Primary
School number:
1114
Other names:
Yeodene Common School, Yeodene State School

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The history of Yeodene Primary School

  • 1870

    The local community applied to have a common school established. 

    The school was named Yeo.

    A committee was established to raise funds to build the school.

    The Board of Education gave 52 pounds (this was back when our money was called the Australian Pound) towards the cost of the building.

  • 1872

    James Inglis built the school for 90 pounds with land donated by local resident named Meredith.

    The first head teacher was John Camm.

    The school had between 70 and 80 students.

  • 1880s

    Yeo became a part-time school after student numbers dropped.

    Enrolments had dropped because the local population had decreased  

    The school had to share their only teacher with another school that also had low student numbers. The teacher had to divide his time between both schools. 

    The teacher's name was Daniel Neville. 

  • 1884

    George William became head teacher.

  • 1897

    The school closed and the building was taken over by a local church that hosted Sunday School. 

    A local councillor, John Hancock, donated land for a new school to be built.

    The school re-opened in the same year, under a new name of Yeodene.

  • 1911

    School children and teacher outside small timber Yeodene Primary School in 1911

  • 1970

    The name of the school changed to Yeodene Primary School. 

  • 1993

    Yeodene closed, and the school site was sold to someone who made it their private home.

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 info PROV have on this school.

Oldest governance record

This school committee minute book is dated from 1912 to 1929. It is the oldest governance record that PROV have for this school.

Oldest school inspection record

This inspector report is dated 1966 to 1983. It is the oldest review of school performance that PROV has for this school.

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

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