NameStockyard Mountain SchoolTypeBuildingSchoolDescriptionStockyard Mountain was named as early as 1816 when cattle thieves were operating in the area. The early cattlemen erected stockyards on the mountain for rounding up and branding cattle.
The Stockyard Mountain Public School, was opened in August 1884 by the Department of Education.
The 1880 Public Instruction Act deemed it compulsory for school age children to attend school. The school was a slab-sawn construction with white washed walls, three glass windows and a cedar door.
It was built on a site at the top of the mountain leading from Yellow Rock Road.
Enrollment in 1886 amounted to 25 children. Miss. Ryan the schoolteacher was paid 5/- shillings (50c) per week. (From the NSW State Archives research)
A prize winning book was awarded to Milly Badans in 1888, and a book for General Proficiency, was awarded to Ettie Raison daughter of Susan Hazelton.
The school closed in 1904 and Mr. Cecil Prior a local resident started one of the first school horse drawn school coach runs, subsidised by the NSW State Government to take the children to the new Albion Park Public School in Tongarra Road.
Mr. Prior was not allowed to drop off any Catholic school children at the Convent School, so the Fleet girls and O’Gorman children attended the Public School for a number of years.
Research Carole O’Meley, Garnet Johnston, Jack Martin and 2005 edition ‘History Notes of Shellharbour City Area’ Tongarra Heritage Society Inc.