Historical information
Falls Creek Primary School
Prior to 1965, couples with small children would move away from Falls Creek due to there being no school facilities in the village. In the mid 60's a few families with school age children established themselves in the village, and a need arose for a school to encourage them to stay. An enrolment of seven children and a building was required before the Education Department could become involved. The Management Committee of the day gifted the families some land (still the site of the Falls Creek Primary School No. 5067) and fundraising began.
The original committee consisted of the Steven family (two children), the Lee family (three children), the Caddie family (no children), the Carroll family (no children), and the Alston family (children?). After two years of community based, yet dubious fundraising methods (including weekly gluhwein parties, keg parties and numerous raffles), enough money ($1,300) was raised and an unused SEC building in Mt Beauty was bid on and won. Due to the condition of the road up to Falls Creek, it had to be dismantled and reassembled up the mountain.
Unfortunately, the building was delivered to Falls Creek too late into the season to be erected but the following summer, with no money available to hire builders, working bees began, beer was on tap, and BBQs were cooked, and a crude schoolroom with an oil heater donated by Cecil Dobson from Winterhaven was erected.
The first teacher hired was an Alaskan woman who agreed to a wage of $10 per child per week. Due to minimal resources the children were sent home at different times of the day in order to warm up and have a meal.
Through the winter of 1971 many government departments were lobbied and it was decided that if the building could be finished to the Education Departments standards then they would provide a government endorsed full time teacher. The three main site holders (Bob Lee, Cecil Dobson and Dick Humphries) took out a loan and the school was refurbished and opened as the 'Bob Scott Memorial Hall' in time for the 1972 season. Maree Keele was the first Head Teacher. After three years of fund raising by the school committee the hall was paid off in full.
After many years in the original building the Education Department took control of the school, updated the classrooms and provided accommodation for the teachers. In 1982, discussions began surrounding construction of a 'new' Falls Creek Primary School, a joint property with the community and the Education Department. After it was decided that the funds could not be raised fully by the community ($150,000), the Department constructed a new facility and students moved in on 1st July 1985.
Significance
This image is significant because it includes children who became champion competitors at Victorian State, national and international level.
Physical description
A black and white photo of a group of children on a toboggan outside the Falls Creek Primary. It includes several future champion skiers.
From back:-
Kate Stevens, Pretty Valley Lodge, World Cup Freestyle representative and Champion; Tracey Lee, Attunga Lodge, Second in the Australian Freestyle and Australian Under Fifteen champion; Matthew Dobson, Winterhaven; Steven Lee, Attunga, three times Olympic and World Cup representative and competed on professional circuit; Chris Losch, Feathertop; Chris Heberle, Le Chalet, Cross Country Champion, eight times Australian Champion; Michelle Caddy, Geilo; Julie Smith: Vicki Losch, Feathertop: Debbie Humphreys, Powerhouse, Scott Caddy, Geilo: Sue Heberle, Le Chalet: Danielle Humphreys, Powerhouse, raced in State Championships and became ski instructor.
