150 Years of Carraragarmungee Primary School

Carraragarmungee Primary School celebrated 150 years of continuous learning in 2026. The community marked the milestone on Saturday 23 May 2026 with a celebration at the school, bringing together past and present students, staff, families and community members.

The day featured a high tea luncheon, the opening of a time capsule, a screening of the school's feature documentary, and children's games and activities. Families travelled from across the district to be part of it.

The 150th Anniversary Documentary is a short film created with Carra students, who interviewed past teachers, former students and previous principals about the school's history. It captures the stories that have shaped the school over 150 years and can be watched online.

Making the film gave students the chance to learn their school's history firsthand, and to record it for the families who come after them. You can watch the documentary on our News page.

Two guests connected the celebrations to the school's beginnings. Elizabeth Kleinhenz, the great-granddaughter of Carra's very first Head Teacher, Francis O'Neil, visited during filming. Former teacher David Alan, who taught at the school in 1963 and 1964, returned and donated an oil painting he had made himself.

David's painting stays at the school as a lasting gift, and Elizabeth's visit added a meaningful link back to the family who helped start Carra 150 years ago.

Our 150-year history tells the story of a small rural school that has stayed at the heart of its community for generations. That continuity shapes how we teach now, guided by our motto, The Child at the Centre.

It is also why we focus on connecting children to self, school, community and environment. The families who choose Carra today become part of a story that reaches back a century and a half.