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Duck Ponds School

A Past Era Vanishes Into the Past!

Alas, the Lara Lake Primary School visit to Duck Ponds was the very last to take place. Due to ill health and age of the 'teachers' that conducted the historic education days, the project can no longer be maintained.

The Duck Ponds School has been handed back to the Department of the Environment & Water and they may use the facility on their educational days.

We thank all the past schools and organisations who have used the facilities and hope that you have enjoyed the experience.

Lara Lake Primary School visit on 9-10 April 2008

Historic photo of the Duck Ponds School
The Duck Ponds School was built in 1855 as part of the Church of England parsonage and was originally called Station Peak School. The School was renamed Duck Ponds in 1862 when the Common School system was introduced. In 1911 the School was closed. Later, the School was purchased by the Forests Commission and was used as a Forest Ranger's home, still later an Art Gallery, and was subsequently neglected. The building now belongs to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and is leased by Duck Ponds School Inc.

Duck Ponds School Inc. Committee of Management is made up of a small and dedicated group of local residents who have been organising. co-ordinating and undertaking the School's restoration since March 1989, in conjunction with the Lions Club of Lara. Although there remains much work to be done, the building is presently available for community and heritage use on a non-profit basis.

Heritage Education Days remain a feature of our activities and have proven quite popular. Heritage lessons covering a number of subjects are conducted for children from local schools, and beyond. We offer half-day classes for years 3, 4, 5 & 6 (a modified programme suitable for years 1 & 2 can also be provided). An old fashioned teacher is provided with the following Programme:

9:30am to 10:15am: copperplate-writing lesson including use of quills, slates, pens and ink
10:15am to 11:00am: heritage games & recess (quoits, ropes. hoops, marbles, or free play)
11:00am to 11:45am: old-fashioned lesson including geography, history, poetry, sewing, etc
12:30pm to 2:45pm: same programme as above

Our group is continually collecting items of a historical nature, including pictures, maps, books and historical information of any sort. This material is used both for recreating and displaying the history of education in Victoria, as well as providing general information on the history of the local area, which is available for use by local residents and visitors.

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