Community
16 October, 2025
St Arnaud Primary looks back in time 150 years
PAST and present students, families and staff are invited to take a walk down memory lane - and the campus - as St Arnaud Primary School celebrates its 150 years next weekend.
PAST and present students, families and staff are invited to take a walk down memory lane - and the campus - as St Arnaud Primary School celebrates its 150 years next weekend.
And for staff, it’s also about celebrating what the school is like now.
“We want everyone, even if they have no connection to the school, to come behind the hedge and see how far we’ve come,” principal Melissa Mitchell said.
“The students and staff have and are working so hard to make this day happen, we’re so excited to welcome everyone.”
Opening on 1 November 1875, the school (called the State School at the time) originally shared land with the St Arnaud Common School and had 400 students attending.
It was then moved to a site on Market Square from 1917 to 1927 before moving for a final time.
The current building on Charlton Road, opened in 1928, is considered to have state-level significance.
On Saturday 24 October, the primary school will be full of stories and memorabilia as invited guests come back and share their experiences since leaving school.
“We have invited back past principals to speak,” Ms Mitchell said.
From 1pm, a picnic lunch will be set up on the school’s front lawn while students host old-fashioned games like sack races on the air field.
An assembly will then be run by school captains from 2-4pm, which will include a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony as well as unveilling a 150 plaque.
Classrooms will also be open for self-guided tours
Ms Mitchell said students were creating time capsules that would be dug up in another 25 years.
“We’ve also got the mum of a past student here in the lead up, painting a mural to celebrate our 150 years,” she said.
Staff ask anyone coming to register their interest with the school.
“We want to see everyone with a connection to our school,” Ms Mitchell said.
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