The History of Willowmavin Primary School
School No. 3479 Willowmavin officially came into existence on 27th May 1904 and was 'created' by the amalgamation of Schools No. 2179 Willowmavin and No. 1452 Kilmore Diggings. The site was the north-west corner of Kennedy's Lane and Moranding Road, which is the same site used for the present Willowmavin Primary School.
From: 'Looking Back at Willowmavin' by Stuart F Dodd, 1984. p86.
The school experienced multiple closures throughout its early years when enrolments declined. At times, it reopened on a part-time basis with another local small school. Each time it was closed, it was eventually reopened - much to the delight of the local community - and has remained open full time since 1957.
Photo from State Library Victoria website. Circa 1968.
Herald and Weekly Times (1968). Willowmavin State School No. 3479.
In her text, 'Pride in our Primary', (2005) author Georgina Dymock includes memories from former students, including:
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Students riding horses and ponies to school. The horses were let loose in the schoolyard but sometimes they would escape into the paddock to the west which made getting home a challenge.
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The building was a weatherboard building with iron gable roof. The wind whistled through the cracks and rattled every window.
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Electricity, telephones, septic tanks and toilets were installed in 1964/1965. In the 1940s, male students were rostered on to empty the toilet pans.
Willowmavin PS has a proud history and strong connections in the local community. Former students and their families remain key members of the school community today.