Karuah Primary School - Karuah, NSW
S 32° 39.277 E 151° 58.043
56H E 403160 N 6386529
Beside the Karuah Primary School fence is a Historical Sign with information about the School.
Waymark Code: WMXG9Y
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 01/08/2018
Views: 0
The printed sign, with photos of the earlier school buildings, has the following text, below a couple of photos:
"Karuah School is a particularly historic school. It has changed its name, changed its site, changed its buildings, changed its character by splitting into two schools along racial lines and changed back again. The first school was built at Aliceton on the north side of the Karuah River in 1884 after many negotiations with the Department of Education. It was a small weatherboard building with fewer than 20 children, built on land leased from the local saw millers Bate & Muston. The building which measure 17 x 15 feet (6 x 5 metres) cost 40 pounds and opened in April 1884. The first teacher was Miss Jane Hackett, one of the youngest teachers in NSW, not yet 18 years old.
"In 1880 the Public School Act allowed for the establishment of Half time schools and in 1888 Aliceton School was linked to Swan Bay. Hackett found it too difficult to go from one school to the other daily so she spent alternate weeks at each school. In 1890 it was combined with Limeburners Creek. Aliceton closed in October 1891 then was reopened the next month with a different teacher. At this time there were both aboriginal and European children at the school.
"In 1900 Mr Wellesley Hartcher was appointed to the Part time schools of Karuah and New Wharf (Allworth) and remained until 1917. He had no teacher training and little experience but was instrumental in having the school moved. In 1907 the name was changed from Aliceton to Karuah. The new school was built on the south side of the river in 1908 and consisted of a 7m x 7m classroom with hat room on the current site. During these and later years the racial problem caused concern and a separate school was built on the reserve for aboriginal children in 1916. By 1923 the enrolment at Karuah School was 69 children and a new building was needed. The extensions were done and remained through to the 1940's. The Aboriginal school closed in 1954. The combined school population exceeded 80 by 1956 and a new building was urgently needed. The RSL Hall was used, then the Church of England hall. The unfortunate situation existed until a new brick structure was built and opened in May 1968. In 1971 further improvements and extensions were done. In 1981 a cooking room and library were added and more recently a new all-purpose room has created a worthwhile setting for all current students."
Address of Karuah Primary School: 18 Bundabah St, Karuah, NSW, 2324
Phone: (02) 4997 5341
Website: (
visit link)
Visited: 0724, Friday, 11 November, 2016