Thursday, 15 May 2025

A piece of Australian history has been restored at Hovells Creek, with the iconic Graham School returned to its former glory in time for its 140th anniversary.

Built to cater to farming families, that school first opened in 1884 and was operated on a single school teacher on a part-time basis in conjunction with another nearby school.

The building was moved to the corner of Graham Lane and Frogmore Road in 1929 to be in closer proximity of students who would often travel to school on horseback or sulky.

The school was closed in 1966 due to a decline in enrolments and gradually fell into a state of disrepair.

Since 2022, local landholders have worked tirelessly to restore the building, donating their time, money and resources to complete the community-driven project.

Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke recently met with volunteers at the Graham’s School following its extraordinary transformation.

“It’s these types of projects that ensure that future generations never forget the stories of our fantastic farming region.”

An open day will be held at the Graham School on Sunday, May 18 with former students, teachers, local landholders, and members of the community invited to attend.

The event has been organised in part by Jan Hyde, who has been documenting the history of Hovells Creek and the Graham School for some years.

“The restoration of this building has been incredibly important for former students and teachers, some who are traveling from Melbourne and Queensland to attend our opening day,” Mrs Hyde said.

“People are just thrilled by what the community has been able to achieve, and the level of excitement has been positively overwhelming.”

“We can’t wait to welcome people back to the Graham School and hopefully the building stands tall for years to come.”