Bulimba State School

Looking out my back door in the afternoon light, I can see a long, official-looking brick building perched on the top LHS of the hill across the Brisbane River from where I live. It is the Bulimba State School, and because of its hilltop position, it can be seen from many parts of the city. Regular readers may also recognise the former water reservoir which has been converted to a house - it is a little to the right of the school. Click the picture to see a larger image.(Photo: © 2010 the foto fanatic)

As befits one of Brisbane's oldest suburbs, the history of this school goes back a long way. Children from the area were initially schooled at David McConnel's Bulimba House, which was also the local church on Sundays. Then in 1866, funds were obtained to build a school at the top of the hill on Oxford St, and the project was commenced. In the meantime, classes developed at the Wesleyan Chapel (now the Uniting Church) until the school building was completed later in that year. In 1915, a highset infants school was added, and here it is in a picture from that year.
(Photo: Courtesy Brisbane City Council; # BCC-B120-81060)

This old school house is what we would call a Queenslander, if it were a house. Set up on stumps to allow cool air to circulate, and to provide space for toilets and an undercover play area, the internal walls were tongue and groove and the external walls were weatherboard. The population of Bulimba continued to expand, and further classrooms were being requested by the school's P&C committee. During the depression, government projects were stepped up to provide all-important work, and as a result, a brick building was was planned for the school by GR Beveridge of the State Works Department. The new building was completed in 1938 at a cost of £21,965. Here is a look at the front of it.
(Photo: Courtesy DERM)

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