Dora Creek Public School
Newcastle Herald
Story 2 (350 words)
A century of learning for one family
by Kayla Donnelly and Georgia Moore
Over the course of many decades, one family who are direct ancestors to an early settler of Dora creek have
been attending the local public school. Their past and futures are intertwined, both the school and the family.
When a gentleman named Henry Phillip Parker relocated to the rugged foot of the Watagan Mountains at
Dora Creek, he settled and married Barbara Helen Mills of Cooranbong and their children started at Dora
Creek Public School in 1898. More than one hundred and fifteen years later the same family are still sending
their children to the village school. While Henry commenced operation of one of the first fishing fleet on the
creek, life went on for the children attending the little school and five generations would follow in their
footsteps. The first generation of students included Martha and Barbara Parker, born in 1903 and 1910
respectively. Mrs Gwen Gavenlock, born in1920 would also come to Dora Creek Public School, before
Reverend Joan Horgan born in 1930 and Mrs Betty Horgan born in the 1940’s enrolled and spent their
formative years in the leafy grounds of the local primary school.
Hazel White and her sisters also spent time attending the school as the family had well and truly settled into
life in what is the Southlakes prettiest hamlet. Mr Kevin Gavenlock, born in1950 and Mrs Cheryl King born
in1960 came next along with Shirley Sharp. Cheryl later attended the school during its centenary
celebrations and remembers the time capsule being buried near the school bell. This will be opened again in
2020 for the schools one hundred and fiftieth celebrations in seven years time. The fourth generation saw a
school leader in Shannon King who was school captain in 2010. In 2013, Liam King is in his final year at
primary school and currently the fifth generation of family members includes Kayla Donnelly currently in
year six who also became a school leader, while Saxon Jansen is in year four. Recent additions to the family
ensure a possibility that Dora Creek Public School will see another generation of children with direct lineage
to Henry attend the school in the years to come. This certainly has been a fabulous century of education for
the direct descendants of Henry Philip Parker.
Photograph by Ethan White
Caption: One family and one century of education at Dora Creek.