For thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans in the 1820s, and continuing to the present, First Nations people have been custodians of the Wollombi Valley.
About Wollombi School
Wollombi School commenced operating in 1852, on a site adjacent to the “meeting of the waters” where the North and South arms of the Wollombi Brook join.
Following floods in 1857, 1864 and 1867 (where part of the school building was washed away), the school was relocated to its present site on the Wollombi Road opposite the Cemetery. In 1881 the sandstone schoolhouse and principal’s residence were erected, and the school there continuously for the next 133 years.
The School's Future
Following the closure of the school in 2014 the Wollombi Public School P&C Association, together with the Save Our School Wollombi Committee, formed Wollombi School Community Education Trust Incorporated (WSCET) with the intention of:
- Keeping the heritage listed buildings and grounds in community stewardship, and
- Honouring the intention of the original provisioning of land for the purpose of education and community use for the wellbeing of the Wollombi community.
Since 2014 WSCET has operated community focused educational activities such as Indigenous and Colonial History lectures, mid-week movies, play readings, choir, meditation, tai kwon do, an Arts studio, extensive school holiday programmes, including a Children’s University, health lectures, ceramic/pottery workshops, venues for meetings and a free community library.
The Wollombi School has facilitated over 900 community events with over 11,000 participants. The site has also been used as a community hub for Local, State and Federal elections.
We are delighted that, since 2019, Ngarralingayil Barker indigenous school occupies the school building and much of the grounds. The Hunter Mobile Preschool operates out of the Principal’s Residence two days a week during term time.
In July 2024 the name WSCET was changed to Wollombi School Community Centre WSCC to reflect the expanded use of the site.
Discover the Wollombi School site
There are a range of local groups that use the Wollombi School site, and also many who support WSCC. Get in touch if you’d like to join our community.
