Rockingham Beach Primary School

Statement of Significance

• The place has aesthetic value as a modest single roomed timber school building from the Inter War period. • The place has historic value for its association with the development and growth of Rockingham in the 1930s. • The place has social value for the community because of its association with the development and growth of Rockingham. • The place has social value for the many members of the community who attended or were associated with individuals or families who attended the school since 1935. • The place is representative of single room timber school buildings designed by the state government for use across the state.

Physical Description

Simple timber framed vernacular style building with weatherboard cladding and corrugated iron roof. Although the building has been relocated, it has not been altered apart from adding a ramp to one of the access doors. The school building is a simple rectangular form with gabled roof. Entrances and windows are located on both the two main elevations (north and south elevations), the east elevation is a blank elevation whilst the west contains a centrally placed pair of side hung casement windows. A pair of timber ledge and braced doors are located on the south elevation. The relocated building has been subsumed into a large contemporary primary school but has retained an appropriate setting amongst the newer buildings, and is surrounded by mature trees.

History

The school building was built to replace the school located in Kent Street, which was in a poor state, inadequate for the demands of the growing population and its location in the town centre restricted future growth. The land for the new school was acquired by the State Government in 1933 and plans were prepared by the Public Works Department. The classroom is one of the standard designs prepared by the drawing office for country schools. Tenders were called for the construction of the timber classroom and the successful contractor was R. Wilkinson of Bayswater with a fee of £399. The school was formally opened by the Minister for Works Alex McCallum on 25th August 1935. In a description of the opening ceremony in the local press it was noted that approximately 40 children from the district attended the school and it was hoped a teachers quarters would be built in the following year. The ceremony included the planting of trees by Mr and Mrs McCallum and other prominent local citizens including the Chairman of the Rockingham Road Board, George Grigg. The school population continued to rise and fall in the following decades as the economy of the district went through highs and lows. The facilities offered at the school have therefore changed with the changing population and differing standards of education. New structures have been added to the school in several programmes of work however the original school building has been retained as the 'heritage building' on the school campus.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Moderate Degree Authenticity: Moderate Degree

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

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