Key information
- Address:
- Bass School Road , Woolamai (now called Bass) 3991
- Opened:
- 1 June 1866
- Closed:
- 1 January 1978
- School type:
- Primary
- School number:
- 847
- Other names:
- Woolamai Common School, Woolamai State School, Bass State School
Can you help us find records for this school?
The Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) only hold historical building records for this closed school. If you have any, or if you know of any, please let us know by emailing archives.records@education.vic.gov.au.
The history of Bass Primary School
1866
The school, originally known as Woolamai, opened as a common school in 1866.
The first head teacher was Charles G. Mitchell and the school had 29 students (18 girls and 11 boys).
At the time, the roads and living conditions were poor.
Head teacher Mitchell travelled for three days to Cranbourne for his salary.
1867
A new building replaced the temporary school accommodation.
The new building was poorly constructed from porous hand-made bricks.
It had a roof made of wooden palings.
It also had a three-room teacher's house.
People complained about the unhealthy building for more than 20 years.
1890
In March, there was an outbreak of diphtheria.
Public anger finally forced the authorities to build a new school and house.
This new school buildings opened in June 1890.
1921
A new main school building was added.
The teacher's house was added to the old school building to form two extra rooms.
1964
An additional school building opened in early 1964.
1979
Bass closed in 1979 as part of the government's consolidation policy for rural schools.
Six more primary schools in the region closed at the same time.
The schools that closed were:
- Bass State School (No. 847)
- Corinella State School (No. 1392)
- Grantville State School (No. 1414)
- Kernot State School (No. 4024)
- Kilcunda State School (No. 2307)
- Woodleigh State School (No. 2463)
- Woolamai State School (No. 3856)
All the students moved to Bass Valley Consolidated School (No. 5195).
Updated