Blackstone State School

The commencement of coal mining in the Blackstone area drew Welsh coal miners and their families to the area. A building committee was elected in December 1885 and an official request was sent the the Department of Public Instruction. The tender was awarded to W.B. Jeffcoat & Sons and the Blackstone Mixed Primary School was opened on 17 January 1887 by Mr William Joseph Hall. Headmaster was W J Hall and Assistant Teacher was Ms Ellen Cole. There were 63 pupils enrolled. By 1892 there were 161 pupils enrolled. It was once the largest school in the district until other areas opened up and the coal deposits were worked out resulting in people moving away. 1987 - Centenary celebrations are held on the 4th April 1988 – the Centenary time capsule is sealed and buried 25th March. It is be opened at the school’s 125th celebrations in 2012 1990 - the school adopted the title 'The Garden School of Ipswich'. The school won several South East Queensland Keep Australia Beautiful Council Tidy School competitions, numerous Ipswich Beautification Council Garden Competitions and Ipswich City Council Heritage and Conservation Awards. 1995 – school computers are connected to the internet 1996 – after 109 years a hot water system is installed at the school 2001 – the library is connected to the internet 2002 – the first air-conditioners are installed in the year six and seven classrooms 2007 - the Qld Gov announced the implementation of the State Schools of Tomorrow Project and invited public consultation. The schools in the Eastern Ipswich Cluster were Blackstone, Dinmore, Bundamba Riverview and Silkstone, Bremer State High and Bundamba Secondary College. On 18 August 2008 it was announced that the Blackstone State School would close at the end of 2009. The Blackstone Action Group was created to lobby the Qld Gov to reverse the decision. Despite the efforts of the Group the school closed 11 December 2009.