Mitchelton State School

Mitchelton State School opened in 1916 as Groveley State School. Located approximately 8.5 km northwest from the Brisbane CBD, the school (Years 3–8) moved to its current site in 1952, while the infants school (Years 1–2) remained at the former site until 1986. The school comprises an early 1950s master-planned school site with asymmetrical placement of buildings. Six buildings from the original planning scheme remain:

• a Boulton & Paul Prefabricated Timber Building – Block A (1953, extended 1954, and 1970)
• Highset Timber School Buildings with semi-enclosed stair – Blocks B (1952), C (1952, extended c. 1954), D (1958, extended 1959) and E (1957)
• a timber Administration Bridging Wing (1952, extended 1970) connecting Blocks B and C

and connecting walkways between buildings. The buildings are set in landscaped grounds with mature trees, assembly and play areas, and sporting facilities. The school has a strong and ongoing association with the Mitchelton community.^[1]

Originally part of the lands of the Turrbal people, the future site of Mitchelton State School was sold by the Queensland Government in May 1864.^[2][3] A farming community developed in the Mitchelton-Keperra area, which featured vineyards and wineries.^[4][1]

The establishment of schools was considered an essential step in the development of new communities and integral to their success. Schools became a community focus, a symbol of progress, and a source of pride, with enduring connections formed with past pupils, parents, and teachers.^[5][6] Groveley State School, established for the children of the surrounding farming community, opened on 9 October 1916 on a 2-acre (0.81ha) site purchased from Sarah Jane Keylar and located on Samford Road, north of the current school site.^[7][8][9][1]

Although intended for transportation of dairy and farm produce, the opening of the railway line extension linking Gaythorne to Mitchelton (on the Dayboro branch railway line, now Ferny Grove line) on 2 March 1918, stimulated subdivision of farming land for housing.^[10][4] The first of these interwar housing estates, on sale from May 1918, was stage one of the Groveley Lodge Estate, adjacent to the Groveley State School.^{[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][1]}

Groveley State School was renamed Mitchelton State School in 1923.^[18] The population of the school grew due to housing development in Mitchelton, and a larger school site became necessary. In 1935 the Department of Education resumed about 6.5 acres (2.63ha) south of the school, for this purpose. This land on Glen Retreat Road was reserved as R1426 in 1937.^[19][20][21] Plans were prepared for the new school site, however, it did not move until 15 years later.^[22][1]

The outbreak of the War in the Pacific in December 1941 affected Queensland schools. The Queensland Government closed all coastal state schools in January 1942, and although most schools reopened on 2 March 1942, student attendance was optional until the war ended.^[23][24] Typically, schools were a focus for civilian duty during wartime. At many schools, students and staff members grew produce and flowers for donation to local hospitals and organised fundraising and the donation of useful items to Australian soldiers on active service.^[25] This was the case at Mitchelton State School.^[26][1]

After World War II, the Department of Public Instruction was largely unprepared for the enormous demand for state education that began in the late 1940s and continued well into the 1960s. This was a nation-wide occurrence resulting from immigration and the unprecedented population growth now termed the "baby boom". Queensland schools were overcrowded and to cope, many new buildings were constructed and existing buildings were extended.^[27] The overriding concern for the Department of Public Instruction, faced with overcrowding and a lack of resources, was the need to build school buildings as expeditiously and economically as possible.^[28][1]

The population of Mitchelton and its adjacent suburb, Keperra, doubled between 1947 and 1954 and this was reflected in the growth of Mitchelton State School's enrolments.^[10] Pupil numbers increased from 331 in 1939 to 657 in October 1950. Temporary classrooms were added in 1947 and 1949, but overcrowding continued.^[29] The community requested that work on the new school for Mitchelton commence and in 1951, the Department of Public Works announced it would build six classrooms on the new Mitchelton State School site.^{[30][31][32][1]}

Post-war, the Department of Public Instruction focused on more appropriate siting of new schools within their neighbourhoods, as well as site planning for expansion and ideal solar orientation. In the early 1950s, Department of Public Works (DPW) architects developed master planning concepts that influenced the design and layout of the whole school. Initially, these plans were broadly based on regular and symmetrical plan forms around a central or prominent axis.^[33] Educationalists argued that the ideal orientation of classroom buildings was 10 degrees east of north, with verandahs protecting the northern side and classrooms facing south. This led to the construction of school buildings that were oriented in relation to the sun rather than the site boundaries.^[34] The original positioning of Mitchelton State School's buildings, with three parallel connected wings orientated this way to the sun, are evidence of these planning considerations.^[35][1]

The DPW introduced and developed new standard plans for school buildings from 1950. These buildings were high-set timber-framed structures with the understorey used as covered play space. Introduced in 1950, the principal type, the Highset Timber School Building with semi-enclosed stair, was a long and narrow building with a gable roof. The stair connected the understorey to a north-facing verandah running the length of the building. Classrooms opened off the verandah and had extensive areas of windows; almost the entirety of the verandah wall and the opposite classroom wall were glazed, allowing abundant natural light and ventilation. This building type was the most commonly constructed in the 1950s in Queensland.^[36] Plans for the first buildings of the new Mitchelton State School - Blocks B and C (both of this type) and a Administration Bridging Wing - were drawn in September and October 1951 and built in time for commencement of the 1952 school year.^{[37][38][39][40][1]}

Block B had a north-facing verandah and classrooms on the upper level, with open space on the ground level providing a covered play area for students. The southern side had large areas of casement windows with fanlights, while the northern verandah wall had double doors with glazed panels and double-hung windows with fanlights. The classrooms were 21 ft wide (6.4m) and separated by timber partitions, some with large folding doors to combine classrooms and some with central double doors. The partition layout incorporated narrow hat rooms between classrooms. The building was supported on timber stumps with short timber bracing walls. The ground floor was only partially concreted and there was a lavatory at the western end. The verandah stair at the western end was partially enclosed with glazing. Verandah balustrades were timber rails.^[41][1]

Built to the north and parallel to Block B, Block C was almost a duplicate of Block B but with variations to the verandah stair at the western end and it lacked the eastern-most classroom.^[42][1]

The Administration Bridging Wing, comprising a raised and covered walkway, linked Blocks B and C at their western ends. It was enclosed along most of its western side and had high-level windows. Opening off the eastern side were the Head Teacher's office, medical inspection room, female staff room, and toilet. The Head Teacher's office opened through double doors onto a small, east-facing balcony. Contemporary drawings of the buildings show a flagpole near this balcony and the area between the buildings labelled "ASSEMBLY AREA".^[43][44][1]

On 29 January 1952, the Year 3–8 students commenced the school year at the new 3.2ha site, while the renamed Mitchelton State Infant School (Years 1–2) remained at the previous school site.^[7][45] The cost of building the new school was £22,580.^[46][1]

Responding to materials shortages and the enrolment pressures of the baby boom, the Department of Public Works proceeded in 1953 with the proposed future wing (Block A) shown on the original plans, which was sited to the south of Block B and connected by a covered walkway. Comprising three classrooms, this wing was a pre-fabricated building system imported from British manufacturers Boulton & Paul Ltd of Norwich. These buildings were erected at many schools across Queensland between 1951 and 1958.^{[47][48][49][1]}

Boulton & Paul buildings were timber-framed and -clad, had verandahs for circulation, and a gable roofs. Ideally, they were oriented so the verandah faced north and the classrooms faced south, but they were also added as extensions to existing buildings regardless of orientation. The building could be high or low-set and had extensive areas of timber framed awning windows, providing more glazing than had ever been used in Queensland classrooms. Almost the entirety of the verandah wall and the opposite classroom wall were glazed. Natural ventilation and lighting was abundant. The classroom size of 24 ft x 24 ft (7.3m x 7.3m) was larger than most previous classrooms.^{[50][51][52][1]}

Mitchelton State School's Boulton & Paul building was extended in 1954 by three DPW-designed classrooms to its east and one Boulton & Paul classroom to its west. North of the western classroom, an extension was built for use as a library.^[53] Block C was extended by one classroom to its east by 1954.^[54][55][1]

Another Highset Timber School building with enclosed stair, Block E, was constructed in 1957, to the west of Block C, to which it was connected by a short, raised walkway. The building faced more to the east than previous buildings. It had a northern verandah on the upper level, was clad with chamfer boards, and had a gable roof. Two of its classrooms, which were 21 ft (6.4m) wide, were separated from each other by large folding doors. The verandah had a balustrade of bag and hat racks, and the stair at the eastern end was enclosed by a glazed screen. The walkway between the buildings was steel-framed with v-shaped columns, fabricated from steel pipe, and wire mesh balustrades. Underneath was open play space for pupils.^[56][1]

Similarly, Block D, also a highset, timber building, was built to the west of Block B, to which it was connected by a raised walkway. Parallel to Block E, it was clad with chamfer boards, and had a gable roof. The building was mostly enclosed around the perimeter underneath for students' play space and had a northern verandah and classrooms on the upper level. The southern side had large areas of hopper windows and the northern verandah wall had double doors and double-hung windows with fanlights. The verandah had a balustrade of bag and hat racks and the stairs were partially enclosed with glazed panels. The classrooms, which were 21 ft (6.4m) wide, were divided from each other by a timber partition which had a connecting door at the southern end.^[57][58] A western extension to Block D, of two classrooms, was completed by September 1959.^{[59][60][61][1]}

An important component of Queensland state schools was their grounds. The early and continuing commitment to play-based education, particularly in primary school, resulted in the provision of outdoor play space and sporting facilities, such as ovals and tennis courts. Also, trees and gardens were planted to shade and beautify schools.^[62] For planting on Arbor Day in May 1957, the Head Teacher, William Grant, ordered four Weeping Figs, three purple Bauhinia (Bauhinia purpurea) and two leopard trees (Flindersia maculosa).^[63] In 1960, aerial photography showed evidence of a planting scheme on the Mitchelton State School site, along the Mimosa Street and Glen Retreat Road boundaries, as well as the retention of mature trees northeast of Block C. The school playing field and two tennis courts were formed by May 1958. The swimming pool and associated dressing shed were erected by 1964.^[64][65][1]

In the 1970s, plans for a number of alterations to the 1950s buildings were drawn; the resultant changes are not considered to be of state heritage significance. An extension to Block A, comprising one classroom on its eastern end, was constructed after September 1970 and completed by May 1971.^[66][67] An extension to Block D to its east, along its connecting walkway, was drawn for a female staff room.^[68] Plans were also drawn for alterations to partitions, and door and window locations in the Administration Bridging Wing.^[68] In 1973, the Administration Bridging Wing was extended to the west of its corridor to provide accommodation for administration, with removal of a partition installed in 1970.^[69] Plans for an addition to the administration area between Blocks C and B were drawn in August 1974.^[70] In 1975, the Administration Bridging Wing was further altered to extend an office to the northwest side for the Senior and Infant Mistresses.^[71][72] In 1976 Block D was extended for a tea room and the Administration Bridging Wing was altered, with an extension to the sick room to the east and the Health Services room to the west.^[73][74][1]

The 1970s also brought additional buildings to the site. A two-storey classroom block (Block F, south of Block D) and an Administration Block (adjacent to Glen Retreat Road) were constructed by 1975.^[75][76][77] These are not considered to be of state heritage significance.^[1]

In 1986, Mitchelton State School and Mitchelton Infants School were combined on the present state school site.^[7][1]

In 1998, alterations were made to Blocks B and A. Demolition of internal partitions, removal of glazing and construction of two partitions in new positions, with concertina doors, took place in Block B. In Block A, there was demolition of internal partitions and the verandah wall of the 1970s classroom and enclosure of that classroom's verandah, removal and replacement of doors, and removal of glazing.^[78][1]

Mitchelton State School became one of Queensland's first Independent Public Schools in November 2013.^[7] In 2016 it celebrated its centenary anniversary, by publishing a history of the school, and bringing together staff, students, parents and community members who contributed to Mitchelton State School during its first century.^[79][80][1]

In 2018, the school continues to operate from its 1950s site. It retains a Boulton & Paul Prefabricated Timber Building with additions; four Highset Timber School Buildings with semi-enclosed stairs; a timber Administration Bridging Wing; and connecting walkways, set in landscaped grounds with assembly and play areas, sporting facilities, retaining walls and mature shade trees from the 1950s planting scheme. Mitchelton State School is important to Mitchelton, as a key social focus for the community, as generations of students have been taught there and many social events held in the school's grounds and buildings since its establishment.^[1]