Wamuran School opened in the Albert Hall in 1921. The original students are in this photo. Miss Barron was the first teacher.
In actual fact, education in the Wamuran district had its birth in 19/04/ 1892, when Ferndale Provisional School, a quant slab structure was operating.The school was originally built by a settler, Mr Soren Jensen, who called the school and his home “Ferndale”. Hence the name, of course!! The property is now owned by the Council where the sports field is))
The Original Ferndale School on the Jensen Property
Back l-r: Mr Fritz , Mrs Harry Fritz& baby, Agnes Pearce, Anna Jensen, Alice Pearce, Florence Tweedle, Bert Pearce, Second Row l-r: Mrs S Jensen, Lillian Pearce, Grace Mitchell, Mrs Moody -teacher, Soren , Lily & Chris Jensen, Joseph Tweedle, Sara & Dora Jensen, Appo & Walter Sami,
Front :Jack Pearce, Frank Sami, George Fritz, Frank Pearce, Enoch & Otto Jensen Absent : Emma & Carl Fritz, Stephen, Hannah & Ruby Hansen & their parents
Later on (1904) the venue was changed to approx 104 Old North Road Wamuran on land donated by Mrs Appo Sami. From Old North road the Ferndale public school was shifted to Bracalba in 1913 (at Approx 17 Busse Road) and closed in 02/05/1941.
Mr Butt owned 640 acres (1 square mile) of land across the road from Mr Maurice Davis property (proposed new shopping centre 2021) , and gave a piece of land on the hill on Old North Road, for a school property. It was to this favourable site that the school from Twin View was eventually moved.
Teachers following Miss Barron were:- Miss McLean (1922-25,Miss Johnston (1927-28) and Mr Goldsweer (1927,Mr E.M. Nolan (1929-1931),Mr Wenck, Mr and Mrs Bill Johnson- 1944-51,Mr Bryan Grehan (1952-1960, Louis McNeill and his daughter came to teach at Wamuran Jul 1960 –Jul 1963., Ray Dale 1963-64,William (Bill) McNickle 1965-1977,Peter Tanner 1977-July 1979,,Ray Clark July 1979-1987,Edward Toohey– Oct-Dec 19, John Byrne 2008-2012:-85- relieving,Lucia Nicholson – Relieving third term 1989,Lance Boucaut 1988—2001,Mary McMahon 2002-2007,John Byrne 2008-2012,Susan Clement 2013-2018,Brendan Wesley 2018-2021:-
Owing to an increase in pupil attendance, an extension was built on to the existing school. A building was obtained in 1951and placed below the first one. It was opened on September 1, 1951. Members of Caboolture Brass Band played at the opening.
A new brick school was built in 1967 and had an adjoining sport oval where, at one time, Svenson’s sawmill stood. This new school was opened on December 2, 1967,The one old school was sold for removal (to the Embrey family) and the oldest one given to the Church of England in exchange for a piece of land on which the new school is built. The land had been given to the church by Mr Dick Williams years ago and at one time pineapples were grown on it to raise funds for the church.
The current school was built on this site in 1967- note mill houses and mill in the background and vacant land (owned by the church and swapped for the oold school
The smaller school, Bracalba, closed in 1941 and Wamuran Basin closed in 27/02/1957 and pupils from those areas then came to Wamuran-and bus runs began from Wamuran School to the Basin and Wamuran School to Bracalba .
Photo taken 1961( Started circa 1958)-School Bus Run -BacK Row- Dulcie Dobson, Ailsa Lindsay, Jan Dobson, Judy Lindsay, , Jeannette Whiting Carol Jackson, Lorraine Whiting, Jim Mole, Graham Lindsay, Bill Dobson, Stan Briggs (driver) Front Row:- Neil Lindsay Chris Dobson, —- Small, Raymond Small, Cameron Lindsay, Lindsay Dobson
John Grigg (Caboolture Shire Councillor) Joh Bjelke Petersen (Premier) Bill McNickle ( Principal Wamuran) Dave Nicholson (M.L.A) Turning on town water on school oval early 1967. It was a pre-requisite that the school no longer have tanks but town water.
Lance Boucaut was to be Wamuran’s longest serving Principal. On arrival, he found the main building on the road, 160students, the Preschool, a demountable and two modular classrooms up the hill- 7 teachers and 7 classes. When he left in 2001 there were about 300 students, the Wamuran Hilton buildings, the technology, great, great community and students.
Mary McMahon 2002-2007:-The school developed a new logo about the Pineapple. Mary McMahon was in charge for the 2002 Arts Festival. The P&C initiated the inaugural musical Wam- Fest
John Byrne 2008-2012:- John Byrne was involved in the development of the new school hall, covered area in the front of the school, and new sports house designs. The new hall saw WHOOSHC (out of hours school care) have its very own facility to work from. The annual Country Fair was a wonderful event where community organisations joined with the school for a fundraising event; Anzac Day and Remembrance Day were great events in conjunction with Caboolture and District Nasho’s.
2020/21 will be remembered in history as the Covid 19 pandemic. The celebration of 100 years of schooling at Wamuran was held on October 16, 2021.
On the Day of Centenary Celebrations there was a large crowd and many activities planned. The oldest teacher present was Mrs Christine Newton and the oldest student was Pat Cook nee Franks and Youngest student was Holly,
Left to Right-Ken Jackson, Eunice Behrens, Jean Kirkwood, Mostyn Milfull, Ken Svenson, Mary Peden (nee Grigg), Fay Harrison (nee Nicholson) , Pat Cook(nee Franks), Kath Storer(nee Hall) Frank Grigg.
