Our Story

A little bit of history (Higher Education in Cohuna to 1955).

In January 1924 Cohuna State School 2502 was granted a Higher Elementary School, and began with 69 students in classes F, E, D and C (later to become Forms 1, 11, 111 and 1V) in two rooms of the school and elsewhere. 51 students were from the township, the rest came from the surrounding rural schools. The pavilion at the then adjoining Royal Park showgrounds was used as a classroom, even though a science room and staff room were added the following year. The opening of St Mary’s Convent school in 1926 reduced the pressure slightly, although rooms in the Memorial Hall were still used. The pavilion was moved to the new Cohuna Recreation Reserve in 1935.

In June 1940, the “Red Brick Building”, (all that remains of the original school) was opened. It contained four classrooms and an administration block, and once more relieved the pressure of overcrowding.

In 1948, after many public meetings held over the previous two years, it was decided to consolidate most of the small rural schools with Cohuna State School 2502, and so it became at that time the only Consolidated Higher Elementary School in Victoria. Schools at Dalton’s Bridge, McMillans, Cohuna Estate, Gannawarra, Horfield and Burke’s Bridge were closed, the buildings transported to the Cohuna school site and their pupils carried to school on a fleet of seven buses. Enrolment in 1951 was 353 primary and 143 secondary students. Some other district schools closed in following years and their pupils also transferred to Cohuna.

By 1953 overcrowding (which had been a continual problem since the schools’ establishment in 1883) led the school Advisory Council to seek the establishment of a separate High School. After several public meetings and deputations to the Education Department, construction of the first stage, a light timber construction building, commenced on land at the other end of the oval adjoining the Consolidated School. Before the establishment of Cohuna High School education was only available to Intermediate Certificate at the Higher Elementary School.

In January 1955 High School status was granted, and the new building was occupied in May that year. Cohuna High School 7735, as a separate entity, was almost a reality!!

However, at the beginning of 1955 the building was not ready, and the staff and students of both schools had to cope with over-crowded conditions at the Consolidated School. The Library, corridors and shelter sheds were used as class rooms, and two senior classes were held in rooms at the Memorial Hall. Even after the ‘big move’ pupils continued to trek across the oval to the domestic arts and woodwork rooms and the canteen at the Consolidated School until the High School eventually obtained these facilities.

Both schools combined to make the ‘rec’ (either dusty or muddy, and we all then thought it was spelt ‘wreck’) which eventually would become the wonderful sporting facility it is today.

In 1955 enrolment was 222 students(94 boys and 128 girls). There were 63 students in Form 1, 63 in Form 2, 57 in Form 3, 31 in Form 4 and 8 in Form 5.

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In 1960 - 343 students.
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In 1970 - 480 students.
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In 1980 - 536 students (114 in Year 7 and 30 in Year 12).

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In 1990 - 374 students.
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In 2010 - 237 students.
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In 2012 - 253 students.
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In 2013 - 272 students.
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In 2015 - 268 students.
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In 2016 - 236 students.
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In 2017 - 231 students.
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In 2018 - 217 students.
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In 2019 - 214 students.
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In 2020 - 200 students.
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In 2022 - 190 students.
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In 2023 - 171 students.
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In 2024 - 174 students
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