Planning for Barcaldine’s first state school began in 1886, opening in July 1887 on the school reserve in Ash Street. The school building came from Pine Hill. It was overcrowded, hot and unstable until it was replaced in 1954 with a new structure. The current state school is a P-12 on a new site in Gidyea Street.
Two small country schools close to Barcaldine opened during the drought of 1895-1905 – at Brixton (1900-1934) and Geera (1901-1903) – both having closed by the mid-1930s.
The first Catholic School was opened in 1896 in the Convent before a dedicated school was built in 1914 in Yew Street across from the first Sacred Heart Catholic Church. There were 100 pupils in the Convent School, later called St Joseph’s. A second new school was built in the 1960s, the current school.
There were a few attempts to open private schools, all of which included student boarding hostels and were co-educational.. The first of these was the Barcaldine High School in 1909. It had closed by 1914. The Church of England then opened the Barcaldine Grammar School in 1915, closing it in 1918. The Church of England tried once again in 1922, opening St Peter’s School but it too closed – in 1932.
St Peter’s School, Barcaldine
New private school in Barcaldine In 1922, the Church of England opened St. Peter’s School with Rev. E. Robinson in charge and an intake of primary students. With the help of country families, in particular
Barcaldine High School
First High School in Central Western Queensland In 1909 Barcaldine became the first western town to have a high school. It was established by H. Arthur McKail, a man proud of his association with Geelong
Barcaldine Convent School – St Joseph’s
The Convent School First 1896, Second 1904, Third 1962 The Barcaldine Convent opened on 3 February, 1896. A school was part of the convent with almost 100 pupils in the charge of Sisters Mary Muredach
Barcaldine State School
The first school in Barcaldine In January 1887 a tender of £684 from Moir, Cousins and Co. was accepted by the Works Department to build a State School in Barcaldine. The building was handed over to a
Barcaldine Grammar School
The second attempt to establish a private School 1915-1918 In 1915, using the same buildings as the failed Barcaldine High School, the Church of England opened the Barcaldine Grammar School – on the day Australians
Brixton School & Geera School
Two small Provisional schools opened during the drought of 1895 to 1905 at Brixton (1900) and Geera (1901) Brixton School BRIXTON was a watering stop for steam engines west of Barcaldine, peopled by a few railway
Student Hostel, Barcaldine
The Hostel 1961-1975 After 1961 accommodation for country children, primary or secondary, was available at ‘The Hostel’ established by Mrs. A. M. Pumpa of Lara. The hostel, a converted private dwelling in Yew Street, began