Ventnor School

The former Ventnor State School is located on Yarrol Road in Ventnor. The site consists of a one-room school building with verandah, a play shed, a girls’ and boys’ toilet, remnants of an old swing post and a flagpole.

The School was heritage-listed on the 21 October 1992 and was built in 1914.  Originally constructed as an open-air school in Maryborough, the school was originally located at Teddington Road, Tinana and opened at the end of the same year.

As an open-air structure, the school was one of the experimental designs for state primary schools instigated by the Queensland State Government as a response to the advocacy that suggested maximum ventilation was necessary for a school building and optimal learning.  These designs were only a government focus for a short period and did not become a permanent feature of educational architecture. By 1922 the open-air school design was phased out and more traditional designs reappeared.

In 1929 the building was transported Wongalee with school commencing in September of that same year. It is likely that the school was enclosed in 1932 when permission was granted for the construction of a play shed, along with the addition of a skillion-roofed verandah.

In 1945 an application was made for a school in the Yarrol Road area. Tim Maloney, then owner of portion 111, donated three acres to the Queensland Government as the site for the new school. The school building was once again moved and transported to its present site and classes commenced classes on 3 June 1946 with Doreen Turner as teacher. The school continued operation for 14 years until 1960 when it was closed due to low enrolment numbers.

In 1963, local residents offered £150 to purchase the school from the Department of Education and the ownership was transferred to the Ventnor Progress Association in March.

Since 1963 the property has been used as headquarters for the progress association, for religious and community groups and was as a polling booth. The Ventnor Progress Association continues to own and maintain the premises.

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Visit The Ventnor School

(Approx 73kms)

1. Take a picturesque drive through the Cannindah, Yarrol and Bancroft areas and visit this amazingly well kept school with a fascinating history on display.
2. Depart the Monto Post Office in a southerly direction towards Mulgildie for 6.7kms. Just past the grain silos there is a turn to the left onto Yarrol Rd.
   

Follow Yarrol Rd for 6.8kms – where you will veer to the right and continue over Stewarts Bridge. From this point continue on for another 11 kms and you will come across the Ventnor school buildings on the left. (Rural Addressing Number 1877)

You can enjoy the surroundings and take a look at the memorabilia housed within the buildings and even have a smoko break beneath the play shed. (The school is unable to be entered, however it is possible to view the classroom through the windows)

Please remember to take any rubbish with you as these grounds are taken care of by volunteers.

Continue on Yarrol Rd for 2.2kms and you will come across Campbells Corner with a dedication to Colin & Beryl Campbell – pioneers of the area.

At Campbells Corner turn left onto McLeods Rd and follow it for 15.2km.s At this junction McLeods Rd changes to Balls Rd.

Continue on Balls Rd for 5.4kms and then turn left onto Dakiel Rd which continues for 2.3kms and meets Cannindah Rd. Turn right onto Cannindah Rd and continue 2.3kms into the township of Bancroft.

At the T-junction turn left onto Monto-Gladstone Rd and follow this road for 8kms to another small township – Mungungo.

The Mungungo Pub is a great place to stop in for a cold drink or lunch if you time your drive right.

You can then continue 13kms back into Monto.

This drive is accessible by most vehicles with caution – however please investigate the road conditions before proceeding.

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