Mooroopna North Primary School No 1612
As early as 1872, the Survey Office at Echuca reported settlement ‘at an unprecedented pace’ at the
Goulburn River. At Murchison, ‘Toolambro’ and ‘Paroopma’ ‘nearly all the land is taken up with a
bona-fide class of men who have good teams and implements, and who are getting repaid with fine
crops.’ The private township of Mooroopna was sold in 1874, and six miles North a schoolhouse was
built by local selectors on Crown Allotment 67a, Parish of Mooroopna, County of Rodney, on the
North side of the present Ardmona Rd, North Mooroopna. James Hunter opened the school on 12th
of July 1875; in that year 75 pupils were enrolled of whom 44 made up the average attendance. The
original locally-built schoolhouse was subsequently enlarged and a four-room residence built, for by
1882 the average attendance had reached 55 (25 boys, 30 girls). The first child enrolled was William
Morrow, the fourteen-year-old son of a Mooroopna storekeeper, who resided 6 miles distant. Until
the separation of the Shire of Rodney, SS1612 came under Board of Advice No. 258, Shire of
Waranga, East Riding. Teachers with long service included Samuel Mills (1878-91), Edwin Harding
(1895-1904), and Douglas Oliver (1940-57). In August 1937, 3 acres of land adjacent to the school
were granted for the purpose of establishing an endowment plantation, and the whole area was
subsequently planted.
https://www.mnps1612.vic.edu.au/
Goulburn River. At Murchison, ‘Toolambro’ and ‘Paroopma’ ‘nearly all the land is taken up with a
bona-fide class of men who have good teams and implements, and who are getting repaid with fine
crops.’ The private township of Mooroopna was sold in 1874, and six miles North a schoolhouse was
built by local selectors on Crown Allotment 67a, Parish of Mooroopna, County of Rodney, on the
North side of the present Ardmona Rd, North Mooroopna. James Hunter opened the school on 12th
of July 1875; in that year 75 pupils were enrolled of whom 44 made up the average attendance. The
original locally-built schoolhouse was subsequently enlarged and a four-room residence built, for by
1882 the average attendance had reached 55 (25 boys, 30 girls). The first child enrolled was William
Morrow, the fourteen-year-old son of a Mooroopna storekeeper, who resided 6 miles distant. Until
the separation of the Shire of Rodney, SS1612 came under Board of Advice No. 258, Shire of
Waranga, East Riding. Teachers with long service included Samuel Mills (1878-91), Edwin Harding
(1895-1904), and Douglas Oliver (1940-57). In August 1937, 3 acres of land adjacent to the school
were granted for the purpose of establishing an endowment plantation, and the whole area was
subsequently planted.
https://www.mnps1612.vic.edu.au/
