July 16th, 2026Our region’s history with Natalie Poole

Glenlyon schools

Glenlyon is noted for having been a gold-mining area with the original settlement of the town dating back to 1846. At one time Glenlyon had three schools operating: a State School No. 266, Rae’s Hill School No. 1294 (Private) and Burke No. 1677.

Rae’s Hill No. 1294 was opened on July 11, 1870 with the head teacher being William W. Emmason.
A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria (1975) describes the school as being built of slabs with a bark roof and an earth floor; it stood on private property on the west side of the Loddon River, six miles north of Glenlyon.
This site was later deemed unsuitable and a new site on the east side of the river was gazetted on April 24, 1874. The first school closed in early 1875.
The new Rae’s Hill School, set on five acres, was opened on January 1, 1876. It was a wooden school building 24 feet by 18 feet with a shingle roof and two attached rooms.
The head teacher was R. E. Williams. In 1880, the attendance was 17 and after declining further Rae’s Hill closed on June 6, 1884.

Burke No. 1677 was opened on the January 1, 1876 with the head teacher being Mathew M. Bourke, with Jane L. Macfarlane as the work mistress. It opened with 74 enrolments.
A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria (1975) states this school was situated three miles east of Glenlyon beside Spring Hill Road, half-way between Daylesford and Malmsbury. The changing population of the area could not support the school. It closed on November 8, 1894 with Enoch Richards the final head teacher.

Glenlyon School No. 266 opened on November 1, 1861 on Lot 4, Section 8 in the township of Glenlyon.
A Centenary History of State Education in Victoria (1975) imparts the following information: “The original building still stands and at times has had up to 80 pupils attending. The school is a single room brick type building.”
Glenlyon was once a gold-mining area and at one time had three schools operating, state, church and private. The head teacher was Herbert Packer and the school’s attendance on opening was 24 students. School No. 266 had four names over its time of operation. It commenced as Glenlyon School, then became a Common School (free to attend) and like most government schools was changed to a State School and ended as Glenlyon Primary School.
For 132 years the school was brimming with life and the Inspector’s Report gives an insight into the building, furniture and records of the school.
“This old building provides ample accommodation for the present enrolment of 13, maintenance duties are carried out and the accounts are balanced. Furniture is more than sufficient but the arrangement of the blackboards is such that all desks are used.”
By 1955 enrolments were 25 and numbers continued to fluctuate. In 1978, the Inspector’s Report read as follows: “The school has an enrolment of five students. A program of regular visits to the group leader’s school is planned in order to overcome a lack of stimulation resulting from the small enrolment. The school should retain sufficient numbers to be staffed until 1980.”
It managed to surpass expectations and closed on June 12, 1993. The dwindling numbers and parents’ preference for a busier school with more stimulation were the resulting factors for its closure.

Little snippet – In 1893 the head teacher T. H. Jenkins of the State School reported 13 cases of measles.

Final snippet – The old Glenlyon School is now a residential home – of the editor and manager of The Local.

Roll of Honour courtesy of www.vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au

(The roll originally hung in the school but was moved to the town hall across the road after the school was sold off by the Education Department.)