Old School House

Architect/s: John Lee Archer (1834-1835)

The ‘Old School House’ is the longest continuously-operating public education facility in Australia. The School House stands as a historic sandstone structure built by convicts with stone they quarried from nearby Butchers Hill. Designed by John Lee Archer, who also designed St. Luke’s Church up the road, the building features a projecting gable, flanking hip roofs, and sandstone quoins on the corners. Built in 1834 and completed in 1835, it faced delays due to the reassignment of already laid floorboards to St. Luke’s Church, deemed a higher priority for completion.

Initially, the school operated as a denominational church school under the Church of England, later transitioning to a state/public school. The building housed both a classroom and the schoolmaster’s residence until the 1970s. The building subsequently served as a Neighbourhood House meeting place, and, from 1998, the School Library. The Old School House underwent restoration in 2008 through a Federal Government Heritage Grant. The restoration removed added partition walls, restoring the building to its original state.

Today, the expanded rooms house the Richmond Primary School library and Teacher’s Resource Room, preserving the rich historical legacy of this educational landmark.

Open: Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 February, stay tuned, more details to come

Access: Two steps into the building