General News
10 June, 2025
Clunes PS all set for 150th
Clunes Primary School will be hosting a week of events to celebrate 150 years of education, commemorating the longevity and continuation of education in the community.
Celebrations of the 150th anniversary will commence on July 1, with a range activities across the week to mark the occasion.
The school was built in 1875, after the number of enrolments exceeded what the original Clunes State School 136, built only 18 years prior, could hold.
By the 1890s, when students reached grade four, they were moved to the current Clunes Primary School to continue classes.
After Clunes State School 136 closed in 1922, more buildings were gradually added at Clunes Primary, accommodating the incoming generations of students.
Clunes Primary School principal Sonia Jardine said to commence the occasion, celebrations will begin with an official birthday ceremony on the Tuesday.
“Being Clunes, we do a whole week of events for significant things. The first of July is the official 150th anniversary of the school, we will have dignitaries, special guests, and everyone from the community is welcome to attend,” she said.
“We will have speeches, badges presented to students, a time capsule burial, and an official photo taken at the front of the school that will replicate a photo taken at the turn of the 20th century.”
The occasion is such a remarkable moment for the school, their November musical has been moved to the first week of July.
“Every second year, we have a school production, our musicals have been going for 25 years or longer. They are usually held later in the year but because it’s a significant year, we are going to conduct it early on the Thursday night,” Ms Jardine said.
“Our performing arts teacher has written a script linking to the 150 years of education here. We have an amazing cast of year fives and sixes, and the whole school will participate in that performance.”
The main gallery at the front of the school will host a catered dinner on the Friday night.
“Friday will be a focus day where students will dress in a costume linked to the 150 years. Some students may dress from 1875 or some students may dress from 1970,” Ms Jardine said.
“That night there is a fully catered dinner, catered by Cafe at 52, that will be in the gallery with a long table.”
The school will be open through-out the weekend, showcasing the school’s history and current curriculum.
“Some of our staff attended as students themselves, so we have already had huge preparations with photos and displays. As people will be able to wander through the school, that will generate memories for them,” Ms Jardine said.
“The school has all been built in keeping with the original design so it has that structural compatability. The school had a refurbishment in the mid-90s, so it will look different for some of our guests.”
“Even recently we had someone who looked in one of our resource rooms and said ‘this is where we used to do claymation, what is it now?’.”
The week long program has been put together to incorporate the many generations that have attended the school.
“What we try to do is cater for everybody in some small way. It gives everybody the opportunity to attend. We love having the students fully emersed in this situation as well,” Ms Jardine said.
Tickets for the events were made available last week, with much interest already shown by the community.
“We have had a stream of phone calls about it, but we’ve also had people contact us and say ‘We have this piece of memorabilia, would this be appropriate for the event?’, they are very precious,” Ms Jardine said.
“It’s an experience the generations and generations of connection with the school will be able to share. Looking at one photo may evoke another whole set of memories that people can relive, share and celebrate.”
Tickets can be purchased by contacting the school on 5345-3182.
Clunes Primary School will be celebrating 150 years from Tuesday, July 1 to Sunday, July 6.