First Greenmount Primary School

Moves to open a school in Greenmount were taken by the local Progress Association from 1912 onwards as the population was growing and more children needed to get to school. New arrival to the area, Mr Sydney Roberts, found there were 33 children of school age currently living in the area and some were attending the nearest school in Bellevue. Parents were unhappy that the children had to cross the railway line to get to school. Classes were held in various homes, and parents and Mr Roberts felt this was not acceptable.

Several sites were put forward for the Education Department to inspect and they still did not make a decision. They deferred action using lack of funds as an excuse. Mr Roberts teamed with local MLC Fred Davis and Greenmount’s representative on the Greenmount Road Board, WH Trott to continue pressure on the Education Department. Eventually a small mud brick cottage on the corner of Innamincka Road and Hamilton Terrance, owned by the Trotts, was rented by the Education Department and used until a more permanent school building was erected. This became the first Greenmount School opening on the 1st of July 1913, with 13 enrollments.

This building was the 1st dedicated Greenmount Primary School built by the Education Department on Marloo Road Greenmount. It is now the home to the Marloo Theatre Group.

The numbers increased rapidly and the Education Department built another classroom to accommodate 50 students. This second classroom was opened on 6th March 1915.

The first teacher, Leslie G Hunter was also keen to provide more facilities for the local children and at the inaugural speech at the opening of the school, he suggested the formation of a local Progress Association. The immediate goals for the newly formed group, were to improve the railway facilities, the extension of the sanitary service and the installation of a public telephone box in the locality. He organised a monster picnic by sending out the following invitation:

GREENMOUNT.SWAN VIEW DISTRICT PICNIC

Monday, 27th October, l9l3

Woods' Estate, Greenmount

Tickets: Adults 2s., Children 6d.

Meals Provided

A Good programme of Sports

For Adults and Children.

Come and Enjoy yourselves and See

GREENMOUNT

And Build your Home There

The success of this event was noted and subsequent development in Greenmount was fully supported by the Progress Association and the Education Department. This building was on Marloo Rd, the current site of the Marloo Theatre Group. This weatherboard and iron building served the community for nearly 50 years.

This is the land on which the 2nd Greenmount School Building was erected. Innaminka Road also known as Blackboy Hill in 1964

The entrance to the Administration office of the latest Greenmount Primary School

If you have any photographs of either of the Greenmount Schools, please contact us at:

mhhs@mundaringhistory.org or 9295 0540