By Sonia Isaacs
WHAT is now known as Beerwah State School originally started as the Coochin Creek Provisional School in 1888.
According to local history sources, the initial idea for a dedicated school was raised the year previously in 1887 by the early settlers and timber-getters of the district.
At the time, the schools already established in the area were regarded as unreasonably distant.
Mellum Creek (Landsborough) was five miles (over eight kilometres) away over hilly terrain and the school at Campbellville eight miles (over 12.8 kilometres) away along the Rafting Ground Road.
A school committee was formed with the proprietor of the hotel at Coochin Creek, John Simpson, as the Chairman, along with Alex Hume, Robert Stirling, William McIntyre and Julius Raddatz.
In May 1888, the application to build what was then a one room timber school building was approved.
After some debate as to who should be the teacher, it was finally agreed it should be a male and William Verrent was transferred from the Blackall Range Provisional School.
The new school was officially opened in November 1888.
According to a 1938 article in the Nambour chronicle the first roll call included W Hume, E Vieritz, J Harrison, J Holland, W Raddatz, R Hume, A Keher, L Keher, A Raddatz, E Holland, E Stirling, M Stirling, R Stirling, J Stirling, A Stirling, J Simpson, C Carish, H Carish, R Simpson,K Simpson, C Hughes, W Stirling, E Otto, E Page, M Otto, E Simpson. F Raddatz, R Hughes, C Grigor, W Roberts, E Jones, C Blair, E Simpson, W Burgess, L Chadwick, H Hume, M-A Simpson, W Simpson jnr.
By 1912 the original school building was in ‘very dilapidated state’ and the community banded together to build a new school in 1914 behind the original building.
The old building remained onsite until around 1916 when it was relocated. According to the centennial celebration book ‘The History of Beerwah State School 1888-1988’ the building was dismantled and the timber used to build St. John’s Church in Landsborough.
Information and pictures from local history sources including Glass House History Group, Helen Page, Jo Barrett and Darren.
