History of St Agnes' Primary School
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS
1907-2007
The modern St Agnes' Primary School Matraville began as the “Bunnerong school of Our Lady of the Rosary” in 1907 on land which is now known as Perry Street in Matraville - then part of the Bunnerong District. Priests of the Randwick Church initially ran the school. Later responsibility for running the school was transferred to the Mascot priests.
The modest timber school-church was officially opened and blessed by Archbishop Kelly on 20 January 1907 and commenced its first school term on 28 January 1907 with 52 students.
At that time, the school was located in an undeveloped area with few permanent homes. The one-room school catered for children of itinerant workers who lived in the surrounding sandhille and who were too poor to educate their children. Although providing ample space for the children to play, the school grounds were primarily sand, surrounded by neighbouring sand hills with a creek running at its side.
The Sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) from the Botany area conducted the school and along with the students endured difficult conditions in the improvised classroom of the school-church. Limited amenities and overcrowding meant that the teachers and students suffered from the sweltering heat in the summer and freezing cold in the winter; wind-blown sand continually plagued the classrooms and wind storms undermined the foundations of the timber structure.
In 1925, an attempt was made to improve the school building with the addition of an enclosed verandah. However, in 1934 the first major improvements were made to the school’s facilities with the construction of a timber and fibro hall – known as the “Wattle Hall” – which was used by the Sisters as additional classrooms during school days.
On 7 August 1936, the Bunnerong school of Our Lady of the Rosary was renamed St Agnes' School.
From February 1939, St Agnes' Primary School Matraville became part of the new parish of Malabar and the steady increase in the school’s enrolments over the years emphasised the need for a new school building. Plans for a new school building were first seriously considered in 1939 – although intervening circumstances and events meant that construction was deferred until 1949.
Finally, on 6 November 1949, the foundation stone of the new school building in Perry Street was blessed by Cardinal Gilroy and with substantial assistance from the local parish community and parents, the building was completed on 2 May 1951. The building’s solid brick construction, modern sewered toilet blocks and kitchen facilities were in stark contrast to the adjacent small timber building which had up until then housed the school. The new school building also served as the church until the new church could be built.
Before too long, the parish priest at the time, Father Maurice Roche, considered that the Perry Street site was no longer a suitable location for St Agnes' school. In 1956 the Church secured title to a vacant block of land on Bunnerong Road with the intention of constructing a new and modern central school building.
This vacant land was originally a sandstone quarry which provided materials to build roads throughout Sydney. When the Church purchased this land it had ten metre deep holes which needed to be filled to become the level site we now know to be the church, school and playground sites.
Once again with support of the local parish community, construction of the new school was completed in June 1958 and the building was officially opened and blessed on 26 October 1958 by Cardinal Gilroy.
On 1 February 1959, Matraville was declared to be a separate parish and the parish priest, Father James Munday, planned to expand St Agnes' School by purchasing additional land, adding further buildings for the school and building a separate church.
The first such additional building was completed on 14 November 1961 – a brick veneer building, fibro roof and covered verandah known as the “L block” and a toilet block built behind the existing building. The new building accommodated two additional classrooms and served as the temporary church. This new building was opened and blessed by Cardinal Gilroy on 17 December 1961.
The continued increase in student enrolment numbers meant that both school sites – Perry Street and Bunnerong Road – were in use to accommodate the 239 students between 1960-1961. However, by 1962 all students enrolled at St Agnes' were accommodated at the Bunnerong Road site.
In January 1966, St Agnes' Church Matraville was blessed and opened – enabling those buildings designed for the school to be used exclusively as classrooms.
In the following years from 1967 through to 1978 further building additions were made to the school bringing the site to its present configuration.
In 1981, the OLSH Sisters withdrew from St Agnes' and the first lay principal, Mr Bill Rooney, commenced as school principal in 1982. Mr Rooney was succeeded by Mrs Jeanette Russell in 1993, followed by Mr Michael Reardon in 1999, Mr Steve Darcy in 2003 and Mrs Lorraine Adams in 2006.
Father James Munday continued as the Matraville parish priest until 1972 when he was succeeded by Father John Roche. Father Roche retired in 1989 and was succeed by Father Anthony Simari who continues in his capacity as the current parish priest.
Into the 21st century and 100 years since its establishment, St Agnes' Primary School Matraville continues to provide a high standard education to local students in modern well maintained surroundings offering quality facilities and amenities for staff and students alike. Father Simari, local parishioners, parents and friends continue to offer support for St Agnes' School in the tradition of the earliest catholic settlers to the Matraville area.