Wonga Park Primary School

Following the collapse of the banks in the early 1890's the Victorian Government of the day set aside land for settlement by impoverished families. A square mile of land in the Wonga Park Cattle Station, now the area around the General Store, was proposed as a village settlement. As several of the settlers were involved in the Eight Hour Day Movement, the settlement was called "The Croydon Eight Hour Pioneer Village Settlement".

The residents of the new settlement requested a school. A school building was removed from Braybrook Junction and re-erected in Dudley Road. It was opened on November 6, 1895 with Ida Body as Head Teacher. It was then known as Warrandyte East Primary School. The name was changed to Wonga Park Primary School in March 1898.

The original name for the settlement had gradually fallen out of common use and the name Wonga Park or The Village was adopted.

On April 5, 1911 fire destroyed the school and a new building was erected at a cost of 370 pounds. The twenty pupils moved into their new building on March 11, 1912. The building is now our administrative wing. As enrolments increased the building was extended then additional portables were added. A new double classroom, built as a fire refuge for the area, was added in 1990, and more recently the school has acquired a larger library and a multi-purpose room.

A $1.1 million major building upgrade was completed in 2002. This included four new classrooms, new centrally located toilets and changes to the administration block.

The school House System has houses named after local pioneering identities.

Wonga Park Primary School has a current enrolment of 300 pupils and services a low density housing area in a quiet, treed semi-rural setting. Its proximity to the Yarra River Reserve, Warrandyte State Park and Upton Reserve enhances the school's environment.

The School Centenary was celebrated in 1995.



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- About the School - History - Melways Map - Annual Report - Positions Vacant	WPPS > School Information > History History Following the collapse of the banks in the early 1890's the Victorian Government of the day set aside land for settlement by impoverished families. A square mile of land in the Wonga Park Cattle Station, now the area around the General Store, was proposed as a village settlement. As several of the settlers were involved in the Eight Hour Day Movement, the settlement was called "The Croydon Eight Hour Pioneer Village Settlement". The residents of the new settlement requested a school. A school building was removed from Braybrook Junction and re-erected in Dudley Road. It was opened on November 6, 1895 with Ida Body as Head Teacher. It was then known as Warrandyte East Primary School. The name was changed to Wonga Park Primary School in March 1898. The original name for the settlement had gradually fallen out of common use and the name Wonga Park or The Village was adopted. On April 5, 1911 fire destroyed the school and a new building was erected at a cost of 370 pounds. The twenty pupils moved into their new building on March 11, 1912. The building is now our administrative wing. As enrolments increased the building was extended then additional portables were added. A new double classroom, built as a fire refuge for the area, was added in 1990, and more recently the school has acquired a larger library and a multi-purpose room. A $1.1 million major building upgrade was completed in 2002. This included four new classrooms, new centrally located toilets and changes to the administration block. The school House System has houses named after local pioneering identities. Body named after Ida Body the first Head Teacher. Burch J. C. Burch owned 22 acres of land in Fulford Road. His original log cabin was built around 1890. Upton Arthur Upton purchased 40 acres in 1921 and extended the existing apple and pear orchard. In 1948 when an extension was added to the school an old sugar gum had to be removed. The timber from this tree was cut and helped to build the Upton house on Jumping Creek Road. The stump of this old tree still exists under the administration building. Peters is a new house added in 1994 in memory of a local family tragically killed in a car accident. Wonga Park Primary School has a current enrolment of 300 pupils and services a low density housing area in a quiet, treed semi-rural setting. Its proximity to the Yarra River Reserve, Warrandyte State Park and Upton Reserve enhances the school's environment. The School Centenary was celebrated in 1995. Copyright © 2007, Wonga Park Primary School, All rights reserved Phone: (03) 9722 1325 Email: wonga.park.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

History