Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Education has become history in a small area of Tasmania. Finding Woodsdale and Levendale on the map would be hard for the uninitiated, yet those two settlements have a long and rich history. Early in the 1880s, Mr PC Wagner wrote to the board of education to ask whether a school could be built in the area. For some time he and his wife had been attempting to provide a smattering of education in spelling, writing and arithmetic at their home. This must have gone on for some time as it was not until 22 September 1882 when Mr Wagner was asked to furnish information required on the application form for the erection of a school. This was duly sent in. On 12 December that year he received a letter from the chief secretary of the board of education to say his request had been approved and a site of 4½ acres had been purchased. It took two years but, in 1884, the school was established and Mr Herbert Goetze was appointed headmaster. It continued as a school over the years until it was finally closed in 1965. A lot of the material and history was lost to the area.

Levendale’s school, Woodsdale’s neighbouring establishment, was started in 1901 and is still going strong; recently celebrating its centenary. The significance of these schools to the history of the area has at last been noted. In 2004 the local history group contacted the current owners of the Woodsdale school, the Tasmanian Fire Service, and asked whether it was possible to have a lease and restore the Woodsdale school to its former glory. They were issued a lease in 2005.

The group has now begun to restore the school, starting with the roof. They are also searching for artefacts from between 1860 and 1920 so they can develop a small museum as part of the school. The rest of the school is becoming a community centre, with computers and printers for the community and visitors alike. They will also be doing temporary exhibitions, education programs and cataloguing, research, providing a multifunctional premise for local community activities, such as craft lessons, social gatherings, local eight-ball groups and family occasions.

All this is being done by a few enthusiastic volunteers. They are working hard to raise funds, as well as undertaking the mammoth task of restoration. Local children attending the Levendale school are able to get a feel for what it was like to be at school in the area 100 years ago and are also helping make a bit of history themselves by continuing the great tradition of public education in the area. Congratulations to all the volunteers and thank you to all the sponsors who have helped and are continuing to help to keep this important piece of history alive and active. I wish them every success and will help them wherever I can. (Time expired)

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