German Station – 1865

For Education prior to 1865, the claim could be made that the early German Settlement at Zionshill was not only a missionary effort, but also an educational effort to improve the lot of the aborigines.

The new settlers, the German missionaries had proved themselves hardy pioneers. In 1843 the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt mentions that the children were educated with great care. In 1846, Dr. Simpson reported that the mission school had ceased to function though probably a school was continued as a purely educational institution for white children.

The German Station National School was opened on 2nd October, 1865.

In 1878, comment on the poor condition of the school residence, which apparently was infested by white ants was made. For the 118 students in 1886, the school became known as the Nundah State School in 1896.

It is interesting to mention that in erecting a new School the School Committee was responsible for one fifth of the cost. In 1905 the value of the School buildings was £900 and the Residence £450. The Committee was informed by the Department of Public Instruction that in the event of fire the Committee would be responsible for one fifth of cost of new building.

In 1908 an application was made by Nundah Coal Mining Company to carry out coal mining under land occupied by School. In the years of the Second World War, trenches were dug in the School grounds for protection of pupils in case of Air raids and portion of the school building was used by the State Commercial High School which, as a necessary precaution, was moved out of the city.

German Creek was one of the 40 private schools in Queensland and the original site, is still a school at Buckland Road, Nundah.

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