The first school

The first school in Mullumbimby was built on what is now the 7th green of the present golf course, southwest of the present high school. The school opened in 1886 with 8 pupils. Their teacher was Miss Eliza McGettigan who lived at St Helena & travelled to school on horseback, or rowed a boat across the flooded streams during wet weather. By the end of the first year the enrolment was 19 pupils.

With increasing enrolments, a new school was built on the present high school site in 1892 at a cost of £293-6 shillings-8 pence. With the establishment of the railway in 1894, Mullumbimby's population increased rapidly. The school building had 2 more extensions done to it to provide additional accommodation for what was in 1903 an attendance of 97 pupils.

In 1904 a new building to accommodate 156 students was erected at a cost of £658, thereby increasing the total accommodation of the school to 260. This building still stands and is presently the TAS & art staff room.

Image: Mullumbimby Public School Circa 1912

Image: 'A' Block, Mullumbimby Rural School 1924

Image: Mullumbimby Public School around 1920

Until around 1968, many students travelled to school by train, from tiny often unmanned stations: Nashua, Binna Burra, Bangalow, Talofa, St Helena, Byron Bay, Quarry Siding, Tyagarah & Myocum. "Trainys" regularly strained the relationship between the school & NSW Railways, with the Stationmaster, visiting the Principal almost on a weekly basis to make the same complaints about damaged seats, broken mirrors, water bombs thrown about, and other passengers upset. The familiar refrain was ‘Would all those who travel by train remain behind after assembly'.

Then there were those unfortunate enough to miss the homeward bound train, or to be put off on the way home & it has been said that more than one student was seen heading off down the track walking. Rumour has it that one boy constantly handled and made approaches to the girls until the day of retribution arrived & the girls struck back. He arrived at Byron Bay – starkers – his clothes strewn over the Tyagarah Flats.

Perhaps the most unusual transport was from Mullumbimby Creek area, with pupils arriving via cream truck; and the taxi, and later the Bubble Bus, which ran a daily service from the Wilson's Creek meat pool site (corner of lower Wilson's Creek Rd & upper Huonbrook Rd) to bring students to school.

The woodwork room was an old wooden portable and is still in use today as the Blue Room (English and band practice). Room 14 near the river, known as the fifth years or seniors room was originally a one teacher school from Mullumbimby Creek. It is still standing today as the Hut.

The school was always short of accommodation. Many a class was held under the big camphor laurel or the pine tree, or even in the weather sheds.

The toilets were a corrugated iron structure, pan system and designed for Infants & primary pupils, even to the height of the seats and there were no doors on the cubicles.

Some will remember the waist long grass on the horse paddock (lower oval), with the ergot (a fungus rendering seed heads black & sticky) on the paspalum wrecking the clothes of teachers & students alike. Or the quadrangle (where the library now stands) flooding during heavy rain, and muddy walkways requiring surefootedness to prevent slipping over between classes.

Notwithstanding the sometimes-archaic appearance of buildings & the challenge of maintaining the school grounds in a subtropical climate, there was an indefinable quality about the school & the community which was sensed very quickly; a quality made up of hospitality, generosity, cooperation, solidarity, a sense of wellbeing, happiness & courage. The setting was sylvan and beautiful.

Image: Mullumbimby Rural School, 1924.

Image: Gardens on lower oval, Mullumbimby Rural School 1924

The school campus once had a very different name. It was called the playground, because so many games took place there, and during breaks, games of various kinds were organised, from marbles to hide and seek. There was a lot of open space to move around in, as there were fewer buildings, along with fewer students.

Part of this playground was not for students, however, and it was known as the horse paddock. It was important to generations of students and there are many stories associated with it.

For example: in the various ways children got to school in days gone by, horseback (along with shanks pony for town kids) was a main one, especially for farm kids. Stories are told that as the first riders set off from along the Tunnel Road, they gathered more as they got closer to town. Some of the children were very young, in primary school, and travelled with older siblings. The horses knew the routine. When they got to the end of Acacia Street, or Jubilee Avenue as it is now called, at Saltwater Creek bridge, they eyed the long straight run ahead, paused for the group to gather, and then took off, unprompted. They knew this was a racetrack.

At times, there were a couple of dozen horses in the school paddock, confined by a fence and a gate that sometimes did not close, at the western side of the paddock, along the creek. Children came on horseback from along the Main Arm Road, Tunnel Road, Mullumbimby Creek and Wilson's Creek Road. Bridles and saddles were kept in a shed and children had to be independent in organising themselves.

There are tales of recalcitrant horses, nervous riders, and ones that got away, not to mention the pranks that saw horses escaping from their paddock into the main playground.

Now, the horse paddock has been replaced by the need for a student car park.

Image: Class of 1924 being held in room which in 1994 was A4 (currently mathematics staff room)

Image: Sewing Class Graduates 1958

Area serviced & school transport

Students in those early years were drawn from Mooball in the north to Nashua in the south & west to Huonbrook, taking pupils from the following schools:

Crabbes Creek, Yelgun, Billinudgel, Middle Pocket, Pocket, Upper Main Arm, Durrumbul, Mullumbimby Primary, Mullumbimby Catholic, Mullumbimby SDA, Brunswcik Heads, Byron Bay Primary, Byron Bay Catholic, Tyagarah, Myocum, Ewingsdale, Mullumbimby Creek, Coorabell, Goonengerry, Federal, Bangalow Primary, Bangalow Catholic, Nashua, Wilson's Creek Huonbrook.

School Badge and Motto

The site of MHS was gazetted for the purpose of public education in 1892 when the first building was completed. More buildings were added as the school population grew, and numerous classifications were made until in 1940, it became an intermediate high school, offering classes from kindergarten to the intermediate certificate, completed after three years of secondary school. Small classes of senior students continued with two additional years to achieve their leaving certificate, an entrance to tertiary study. This school had a badge. The top scroll had plain text in capitals, Mullumbimby in gold on a white background. The bottom scroll, similarly gold on white had the motto: 'play the game'. Inside the circle was an elaborate gold shield outline on a dark blue background. Within the shield was a monogram. A bar was added for captains and prefects.

Elements of this badge were retained in a new badge designed by art teacher Carmen Allen and introduced in 1955 for the reclassified Mullumbimby High School, with around 370 students. The badge retained the colours white, blue and gold, and the motto.

The monogram became MHS on white, the lyrebird refers to the Mullumbimby Municipal Council (1908-1980). The two other elements in the badge look to the sporting (on blue) and academic aspirations (on white) of the school. Finally, there are botanical references including bananas at the sides, pointing to local agricultural industries.

Since 1955, students have worn the badge with pride. Current MHS students are re- discovering its significance. It has an undeniable emotional and symbolic value; it represents a substantial heritage, and confirms the school as a learning institution with a strong tradition.

Play The Game

The motto is from a poem by Sir Henry Newbolt, called 'the torch of life'. In the first verse, the cricket match is nearing its end, players are exhausted, with just a few more runs to get, a win seems out of reach. The captain calls on his team to pull together, give a little bit more – Play up, play up, and play the game. The backdrop of the second verse is the battlefield. The situation is dire, but as morale sags and men seem defeated, the cry goes up: pull together, once more, play up and play the game.

The sentiments apply not only to the sports field and the battleground, but they are also about the torch of life, the fire that keeps us going, the will that steers us through hard times, the strength that comes from working together. The motto is in English rather than Latin, as was usual at the time, suggesting Mullumbimby was ahead of its time in its choice of rallying cry.

THERE'S a breathless hush in the Close to-night –
Ten to make and the match to win –
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat,
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"

The sand of the desert is sodden red, –
Red with the wreck of a square that broke; –
The Gatling's jammed and the colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed his banks,
And England's far, and Honour a name,
But the voice of schoolboy rallies the ranks,
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"

This is the word that year by year
While in her place the School is set
Every one of her sons must hear,
And none that hears it dare forget.
This they all with a joyful mind
Bear through life like a torch in flame,
And falling fling to the host behind –
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"

Principals of Mullumbimby High School

School Captains

New school auditorium honours legend in Mullumbimby teaching

An exceptional teacher, principal and contributor to his community, Mr John Pearce, was honoured on Monday when the new Mullumbimby High School auditorium was officially opened and named after him.

Mr Pearce was appointed in 1955 as the first principal of Mullumbimby High, the school previously only being an intermediate high school.

The full auditorium and attendance by many leading citizens at the ceremony indicated that high regard in which Mr Pearce is held.

Guests included the president of the school’s P&C, Mrs Barbara Bridgland; Shire President, Cr Stan Robinson; the Member for Byron, Mr Beck; the president of the Ministers’ Fraternal, the Rev. Brian Osborne, while the Director-General of Education, who was to have opened the building but was called to a meeting with the Premier, was represented by the Regional Director, Mr Lionel Phelps.

The gathering also included past students and some teachers who served under Mr Pearce, including Mr Wal Wardman, now principal of Murwillumbah High, and Mr Wal Smith, now principal of Tweed River High. Among past principals of Mullumbimby High was Mr Derek Howland, who now is a regional subject inspector.

Deputy principal, Mr Max Bissett, introduced the guests and Cr Robinson welcome visitors. The school band and choir provided musical items.

Mr Phelps, in his address, said the area now was well served by school facilities equal to any in the State and work on Byron Bay High School was in progress and it was scheduled to open in 1987.

The tremendous community interest and concern at Mullumbimby to have an auditorium had been rewarded at a total cost of $1 million for the new auditorium and library resources centre.

Mr Phelps said the opening of the auditorium and naming it in Mr Pearce’s honour was a formal recognition of Mr Pearce’s value and the contribution he had made.

Mr Pearce did the teacher training in 1925-26 and taught in junior technical schools in the Sydney area for several years. He taught at Inverell High School from 1934; Armidale from 1938 and from 1940-44 was in the AIF. He then went to Bathurst as a science master, Tamworth as science master and finally deputy principal; and came to Mullumbimby in 1955 and retired in the town in 1968.

Image: Mr John Pearce

In Tamworth and Mullumbimby, he became something of a legend, being held in great respect by parents, pupils and colleagues.

Mr Phelps said that in a special way the auditorium would always mean that part of the school was John Pearce’s school.

Mr Pearce then unveiled the plaque and thanked the community for the support it had always given the school and particularly the efforts to gain the auditorium.

Principal, Mr Jim Willoughby, then expressed his appreciation for the community’s support and said two people – John Pearce and Mrs Lesley McPaul, who had worked hard in the P&C – had been instrumental in gaining the facility for the school and community.

School captain, Adam Watterson, said the chapter for the building of the auditorium began in 1955 with Mr Pearce who first made requests and closed with the official opening.

Already it has been used extensively by local sporting bodies and groups, for school socials and stage productions, assemblies and formal school functions, exams and discos.

Published in the North Coast Advocate, Wednesday, December 4, 1985

Dux of Mullumbimby High School since 1955