Mulligans Flat School sign

ACT

Mulligan: Flat Schools

GOVERNMENT

The schools are marked by the two

rows of radiata pine which formed the

boundary of the school yard. A photinia

bush still stands within the yard.

Two schools were built on this site. The

first, built in 1896, was a wooden slab

building with a bark roof. It was built

by local volunteer labour and most

likely by parents of school-age children.

The first building was used for some

17 years but became unsuitable when

it began to deteriorate.

THE SITE OF

A second, more substantial building

was built in 1913. This was a weather-

board structure with a corrugated

iron roof. It was a square building

approximately six metres by six

metres in the same design as the Hall

schoolhouse. It was built above ground

with concrete steps leading up to the

entrance. A brick hearth and chimney

were supported on mortared stone

foundations.

2

NATIONAL TRUST

This project was assisted

through funding made

available by the ACT

Government under the

ACT Heritage Grants

Program.

A corrugated iron water tank rested

on slabs on the opposite side of the

building from the chimney. At least one

outhouse provided for toilet facilities.

After a period of closure the school

was repaired and reopened in 1922 as

a part-time school. In 1931 it was finally

closed due to falling attendance. The

building was dismantled and removed

in 1933.

A few traces are all that remain of this

second schoolhouse. They are located

approximately 50 metres in a northerly

direction from the car park.

Schools in the Ginninderra district.

This map shows several schools scattered

throughout the rural district of Ginninderra

in the early 20th century. Because of

the fluctuating populations of the rural

communities at this time many of the schools

found themselves facing closure or operating

part-time or half-time.

Church

Brooklands

School

Parkwood

Half-time

School

Parkwood

Methodist

Church

Canberra Tracks

SEE HOW FAR WE'VE TRAVELLED

YASS- QUEANBEYAN,

Glenwood

School

ninderra

Downloed the

'Canberra fracks' app from the

App Store of Google Play

Gooromon

NANIMA

Ponds

ROAD

Bedellick

School

Creek

Weetangera

Methodist Church

AR

SCAN THIS

PHOTO

SCHOOLSIN

ROAD

St Francis

Xavier's

RC Church

Hall Public

School

Early G of E

Denominational

School at Palmerville

St Pauls

Church

& School

Creek

Look for the photo

marked with A symbol

Ginninderra

School

Church &

School

ncis

Wantagong

School

AR

SCAN THIS

IMAGE

GUNDAR

Open the ann and

Tumbateman

ROAD

Gungahleen

School

Ginninderra

Private School

(A.M. Rich)

Tallagandra

School

Canberra Presbyterian Church

Stone Hut

School

Watch the photo

come allyel

Mulligans Flat

School

Mulligans Flat School, c1913. The

man standing in the doorway is James

Gormly who taught at the school

between January 1923 to August 1026.

He sold me an old push bike – very old but

quite a bargain for the price. I preferred

riding it from Mulligans Flat instead

of the old, half draught horse that Mick

Cavanagh gave me to ride. I used to canter

half a mile then walk the old mare the next

half mile as she was puffing and blowing

after half a mile

I found the four years trying to teach pupils

five days per fortnight and competing with

other schools who had ten days per fortnight

instruction. The inspector didn't seem

to make any allowance between the two

different types of school."

Mulligans Flat School pupils pose in the

school grounds on Arbor Day c. 1921.

Heritage Places

Done