Local Government
Serpentine-Jarrahdale
Region
Peel
Location
8 Gordon Rd Serpentine
Location Details
adjac to Serpentine River & Turners Cottage 2360
Other Name(s)
Serpentine School, Old Bridge School
Construction Date
Constructed from 1902
Demolition Year
N/AStatutory Heritage Listings
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage List | Adopted | 18 Feb 2018 |
Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHP - Assessed - Below Threshold | Current | 22 Feb 2013 |
Other Heritage Listings and Surveys
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ||||
| Classified by the National Trust | Classified | 05 Apr 1993 | ||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 31 Jul 2000 | Category 1A | |
| Local Heritage Survey | Adopted | 19 Sep 2022 | Category 1A | |
Statement of Significance
The school has a high degree of authenticity and is a rare example of the standard one-room school buildings built by the Public Works Department. It has a social and historic significance as the place where children received an education and the community interacted, the site having been continuously used for a school for nearly 100 years. The Port Jackson Bay Fig tree is also an important component of the site, for historic and aesthetic reasons. Consideration to be given to its inclusion in the historic Serpentine townsite group of buildings.
Physical Description
A single-room brick building with rendered string course (three sides) with a corrugated iron gable roof and verandah under the pitch of the main roof. The north wall of the building is timber framed and clad in corrugated iron. Brickwork at the north ends of the east and west wall is toothed as if to allow for future extension to the building. Set adjacent to the Serpentine River, with a large Port Jackson Bay fig tree on the left hand side (viewed from the road) which was used by the students for shade and shelter.
History
The third school building on this site, built in 1902. The first school and teacher's house were built in 1859 and called Serpentine Bridge school. The school experienced periods of closure and by 1889, owing to the poor condition of the buildings, a new school room and teacher's house were built- the second on the site. (Builders: Richard Tonkin and George Postans). The present schoolroom was designed by PWD architect, W.B. Hardwick, and the contractor was J.G. Braunsdorf. Original plans for the school building indicate that the design allowed for future extensions, with the fourth wall being of corrugated iron and not brick. However these extensions were never carried out and the fourth "temporary" wall remains. In 1954, the new Serpentine Bridge School closed, having been replaced by the new primary school in the new Serpentine townsite. All buildings except the small 1902 school room were either relocated to the new school site or removed.
Condition
Fair-Good
References
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steedman & Burgess, "Conservation Plan: Serpenting (Bridge) School, Serpentine" | prepared for Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale | October 1999 |
Other Reference Numbers
| Ref Number | Description |
|---|---|
| SJ12-02 | Local Heritage Survey |
| 3 | Scheme List |
State Heritage Office library entries
| Library Id | Title | Medium | Year Of Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4148 | Serpentine (Bridge) School-Serpentine Conservation Plan | Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} | 1999 |
Place Type
Individual Building or Group
Uses
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Original Use | FORESTRY | Housing or Quarters |
| Present Use | EDUCATIONAL | Housing or Quarters |
| Original Use | EDUCATIONAL | Combined School |
| Present Use | RESIDENTIAL | Other |
| Original Use | RESIDENTIAL | Single storey residence |
| Present Use | RELIGIOUS | Church, Cathedral or Chapel |
| Original Use | RELIGIOUS | Church, Cathedral or Chapel |
Architectural Styles
| Style |
|---|
| Federation Gothic |
| Federation Arts and Crafts |
| Victorian Georgian |
| Other Style |
Construction Materials
| Type | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Wall | METAL | Corrugated Iron |
| Other | TIMBER | Tongue & Groove |
| Roof | METAL | Corrugated Iron |
| Wall | BRICK | Common Brick |
Historic Themes
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| PEOPLE | Early settlers |
| SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES | Education & science |
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Settlements |
Creation Date
01 Aug 1995Publish place record online (inHerit):
ApprovedLast Update
06 Sep 2023Disclaimer
This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.