Sawyers Valley Primary School began in 1884
In October 1998 a townsite was declared at Sawyers Valley but prior to that the second stage of the Eastern Railway was completed and Edmund Lacey established a new sawmill on the northern side of the line.
The first school in Sawyers Valley was in a house lent by Edmund Lacey in 1884 it had 28 students .By 1893 the school had become very dilapidated and was closed and the children had to go to Lion Mill (Mt. Helena).
It wasn’t until 1896 when a survey was carried out by the government, and it was seen that the settlement was growing and needed a new school and teacher’s residence which was eventually opened in 1898 with 48 students.
C1922
There have been many additions and changes to the site and at various times the buildings were infested with both goats and white ants!! In 1944 a bush fire went through the valley and the school came close to being destroyed. The school was connected to the electrical grid in 1955 and later in 1960 septic tanks were installed.
The early school buildings are the earliest government school structure to survive in the Shire of Mundaring. The original teacher’s quarters is listed by The National Trust and is now used to provide students an experience of what it was like to be schooled in the Victorian era with activities such as cooking washing and woodwork.
C1922
C1934
Comments