Community spirit shines as local school celebrates 150 years

Daisy Hill State School has had an eventful history. 

It has endured floods and fire, been in 4 different locations, had 3 names – and a steadfast community spirit that has lasted the entire century and a half. 

The small school – with 250 students from Prep to Year 7 – recently marked its 150th birthday, with a weekend of celebrations at the end of May. 

A formal event, a day-long fair and plenty of celebratory assemblies and classroom activities have been part of the festivities this year. 

The school was based in a local church when it was founded in 1873 as Slacks Creek Provisional School, before moving to Loganlea Road, and eventually becoming Slacks Creek State School in 1901. 

The school now resides on Daisy Hill Road and became Daisy Hill State School in 2016 to better reflect its location. 

Justin Skelton attended the school in the 1980s. He now has 2 children enrolled there and is president of the P&C, often to be found volunteering in the tuck shop. 

Justin says his own dad worked as a landscaper and installed playground equipment at the school, too. His 2 older brothers also attended in the 1970s. 

‘This was my happy place in my childhood and I wanted to pass that on to my children – and so far they have had as good a time here as I did,’ he says. 

‘They get a lot of opportunities. We have a cupboard full of trophies and certificates and we are very proud and happy they are happy. The classroom my son is in now is the same building I was in when I was a student here – it’s pretty surreal and I’d love to see a third generation here.