School History

In 1874, the early settlers of Warburton decided that a school should be established for their children. The first of many letters requesting a school was sent to the Department of Education on August 3rd 1874 by Mr Edward J. Buller.

As a result of this, and many subsequent letters, State School 1485 was opened on March 2nd 1875 at Warburton and Hoddles Creek. It was a part time school at both sites, in buildings miles apart, with a rental of 1s 6d per week for each.

The Warburton School was a wooden portable with quarters attached and this building became State School 3466 Wesburn in 1904.

In 1885, a new site for the Warburton State School 1485 was chosen on Crown land opposite Kennedy's Bridge. The next year Warburton, with a nett enrolment of 41 students, was detached from Hoddles Creek and combined with East Warburton until 1898.

In 1898, the new railway absorbed the best portion of the schoolyard.

In 1903, Health Officers closed the school, as the last teacher had three children die from diphtheria due to a complete lack of sanitation.

For several years, the school worked in the leased Mechanics' Institute. By 1908, a new school had been built on E. Shear's property, half a mile nearer to Millgrove, on Damman's Road, Warburton.

By 1913, the long story of ill-drained, poorly ventilated, cramped and unsanitary conditions had come to a close. By then, the nett enrolment exceeded 100.

In 1942, there was a mass evacuation of pupils from the metropolitan area due to World War II, and with a shortage of teachers, the school underwent an extremely difficult time. By 1943, it was decided that a new site for the school should be obtained. After a great deal of negotiating and battling, nine acres of land in Horners Road was secured. This was formally the sight of the old La La Guesthouse that had been burnt out.

In 1957, on two sites in Horners Road and Damman's Road, the school catered for Primary and Secondary classes to Form 3.

In 1958, Warburton State School became a Higher Elementary School.

After serving the community for over 50 years, the Dammans Road school was destroyed by fire in October 1959. New rooms were built at Horners Road, however the accommodation was still inadequate, so many students were housed in the local Mechanics Hall.

When Upper Yarra High School was opened in 1962 - 1963 , Warburton reverted to Primary School status with an enrolment of 126 students.

Warburton Primary School - 1485 is still situated in Horners Road, the site that was acquired in 1943. In the new millennium, as in 1943, the staff are dedicated to providing a sound education for all children, with an emphasis placed on the teaching of language, mathematics and social skills that will enable children to integrate into today's society.