Tenindewa School Site and Well

Child Places

• 25463 Old Well, Tenindewa

Statement of Significance

The Tenindewa School Site has some local historic significance for its important role in the provision of education to the local community. The site is evidence of how the Tenindewa community flourished in the years prior to World War 2. The school site is Included on a local heritage trail and is held in some esteem by the local community

Physical Description

The Tenindewa School site is located approximately 800 metres north of the Geraldton-Mullewa Road and about 200 metres east of the Yuna-Tenindewa Road along a dirt track. The site is marked by a large rock which has two plaques affixed to it. A Bicentennial plaque notes that the school was in operation between 1913 and 1939, and lists the names of the teachers who taught at the school while the other plaque has a photograph of a group of school students standing in front of the school building with their teacher. All that remains of the old school are evidence of some foundations immediately to the south and the remnants of a
water tank to the west

History

Kockatea Siding, which was renamed Tenindewa in 1909, was one of the many stops on the GeraldtonMullewa railway constructed in 1893. A railway gang and some of their families were housed there to service the line and, after farming commenced in the area from 1905, a small community emerged near the Siding which thrived particulary from the 1920s when a lot of nearby land was allocated. By 1910 there were railway buildings, sports facilities and a race course, a post office and a hall. Initially the first school classes were conducted in a railway employee's cottage. However in 1913 a school was built, not too far from the store, which operated from this site until 1939. The advent of school buses resulted in the school students being more easily transported into the school at Mullewa. The school building was subsequently purchased by Harry Stokes following World War 2 and he transported it to his farm.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

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Disclaimer

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.