The Mont Albert District - a Pictorial History 1830 to 2013

1917 - Schools

Home
Demographics
Prologue
Indigenous Heritage
Geology and Topography
Vegetation and Fauna
Climate and Hydrology
1830s
1840s to 1870s
1850s - Parish of Nunawading
1852 - Whitehorse Inn
1861 - Postal Services
1880s - Electricity Supply
1880s to 1920s
1882 - Phantom Railways to Doncaster
1883 - Residential Heritage Precinct
1884 - Broughton Park subdivsion
1884 - Brickworks
1885 - Surrey Hills district - map
1888 - Football Clubs
1889 - Gas Supply and Gasworks
1889 - Doncaster Electric Tramway and Tower
1890 - Mont Albert Railway Station
1892 - Surrey Hills Golf Club
1892 - Water Supply, Reservoirs and Sewerage
1899 - Telephone Services
1905 - The Surrey Dive
1907 - Scouts and Guides
1912 - Mont Albert Village Shopping Precinct
1914 - Mont Albert Progress Association
1916 - Californian Bungalows
1917 - Schools
1917 - Wattle Park
1924 - Early Shortwave Broadcasting from the Surrey Hills district
1924 - Black's Estate
1925 - Bus Services
1929 - Tramways
1930 - Cricket Clubs in Mont Albert
1930s - Balwyn - Beckett Park Bonfires and Wildlife Sanctuary
1948 - Grange Tennis Courts
1957 - Pioneer Park
1961 - Surrey Hills Communications Tower
1981 - Box Hill Miniature Railway
Koonung Creek Parklands
Heritage Notes
Mont Albert Road - Early History
Mont Albert Rd - the East End
Elgar Rd - north and south of Mont Albert Rd
Mont Albert Rd - View St to Elgar Rd
Bushland Reserves
Service Associations
Sporting Clubs
Box Hill Institute of TAFE
Walking Trails
Epilogue
Timeline
The Author's Websites
References and Acknowledgements

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1923 - School Sports presentation to Mont Albert school - Basketball

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1902-1911 Surrey Hills State School

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2013 - Surrey Hills State School

Background
In the 1860s-1870s, children from the scattered farms in the Surrey Hills district walked to school in Box Hill, Camberwell, Boroondara, and Burwood.

These schools included:

St. Bridget's - on cnr of Riversdale and Warragul Rds - 1857 to 1902

Surrey Hills State School no. 2778 - opened 1886 from the Recreation Hall in Albert Crescent. A new school was opened in 1890 at Beatrice Avenue, where it survives to this day.

St. Joseph's Home and Residential School - Kent Rd - 1890 to 1916

Surrey College - Vincent St - 209 Union Rd, later Vincent St - 1892 to 1908

Holy Redeemer - Mont Albert Rd - 1902

Milverton College - 192 and 219 Union Rd - 1906 to 1908

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2013 - Mont Albert Central School

Mont Albert State School
This was officially opened on April 23 1917, and is located north of Whitehorse Rd, in Barloa Rd.

The school became Mont Albert Central School in 1918, taking in Forms 1 and 2.

The school remained a Central School until 1964, when the secondary years formed the basis of a new High School, the Box Hill North High School, later to be named Koonung Secondary College. It then became Mont Albert Primary School.

Mont Albert was the first School in Victoria to have the interior purely constructed of Victoria hardwood, from floor to ceiling. The Honour Board was erected in 1919.

The original building, constructed of solid red brick, consisted of seven rooms. In May 1924 four rooms, in the same type of construction were added.

When the school opened in 1917 there were 147 students in Prep to Grade 6. Later that year, a further 72 children were admitted, making a total enrolment in the first year of 219.

The land facing Kenmare Street was purchased in 1919, adding another 2 acres to the 5.5 acres which the school occupied in 1917.

The first Principal was Charles Hyland, who was assisted by three other teachers. Charles Hyland left in April 1919 and was briefly relieved by W. Judd.

Alfred Harley became the School Principal in January 1920, remaining until July 1936.

The first official meeting of the School Council in May 1917 discussed the need for asphalting of playing areas, providing a letter box and electric lights for the lobby, double room, office and sewing room.

Professor Manning Clark, Australia's foremost historian, was a student at the School from 1926.

The Art/Craft room was built in 1968 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the School.

In 1991 the Performing Arts Centre was officially opened. A Computer Centre opened in 1997.

During 2001 and 2002 a major building upgrade was completed. The original building was reconfigured internally and totally refurbished. A wonderful Hall and Canteen were constructed along with a new library and six modern classrooms to accommodate the present population of approximately 590 students.

In 2010, the Federal Government's Building Education Revolution (BER) program commenced at Mont Albert Primary School and in 2011 students movedinto six classrooms and two flexible learning areas. 

The parent community has been extremely active and generous raising funds to ensure the comfort of all students by donating financially towards the airconditioning of the entire space, which the Government did not provide.  

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1917 - Mont Albert Central School

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Location map

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1937 - school sports at Ormiston

Ormiston House
Ormiston is the oldest girls' primary school on the Australian mainland. The school's junior school, Ormiston House, was established in 1848. It was located at various sites until it moved to St. John’s Avenue, Mont Albert, in 1936. It became the junior school of Camberwell Girls Grammar in 1964. The Mont Albert site was sold in the1990s and the school relocated.

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2013 - Koonung Secondary College

Koonung Secondary College 
Located in Elgar Rd, Mont Albert North, Koonung Secondary College is a co-educational Year 7 to 12 college. Established in 1964, it has a proud history of delivering a challenging and comprehensive curriculum within a secure and disciplined environment. Enrolments (2013) were 870.

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