This text has been taken from “A Brief History of Ironside School and The District” written by J.L.
Murray, the Head Teacher at Ironside State School in 1958. It was published in a brochure for the
“Official Opening of the Ironside State School Swimming Pool” on Saturday 8th March, 1958 by His
Excellency the Honourable Sir Alan Mansfield, K.C.M.G., Administrator of the Government of the
State of Queensland.
It is interesting to note not only the history of both the school and the local area but also the
language used within the article. We are very fortunate that Mr Murray wrote this article more than
fifty years ago as the “descendants” he was able to interview and record the recollections of the
history of the area, have long since passed into history themselves.
“From the tattered leaves of the school’s first Administration Register, from the brochure of the
school’s Diamond Jubilee in 1930, and from interesting conversations with descendants of old
residents the following story is revealed:
When the first teacher, Mr William Arthy, rang the school bell for the first time, the town of Brisbane
was then a vigorous infant of forty-six years. The colony of Queensland was only eleven years old
and the first sale of freehold land had taken place only twenty-eight years previously. That year 1870,
the railway line to Ipswich - a single one – had just been completed and stations had been built at
Toowong and Indooroopilly. It is interesting to know that Toowong, the meaning of which is “Place
of Doves”, was in the very early days, known as the village of “Noona”.
From and old identity I am informed that by 1875 in what is now the village of Toowong, there were
only nine houses. Taringa did not exist, and between Toowong and the outskirts of Brisbane at
Milton, where there were a few scattered houses, lay forest country waiting the axe of the settler,
farm clearings and a few homes.
A pupil of the original Ironside State School has told that in the early days the settlers spoke of “Long
Pocket” and “Short Pocket”, this latter name being applied to the lands of the St. Lucia reach. Among
the oldest settlers of “Short Pocket” (or St. Lucia) are Messers McCaffrey, Carmody, Burnie, Deller,
Pitty, Skinner, Moore, Wherry, Depper and Carr. On the “Long Pocket” side were Messers Redhead,
Lane, Blasdall, Gormley, Strong and Cocks. Carrs and Carmodys were “Short Pocket” settlers who
later moved to “Long Pocket”. Descendants of these families are still in the district.
In the early of this State’s history, sugar was obtained from the island of St. Lucia in the West Indies;
in fact, sugar and St. Lucia were almost synonymous terms, and when sugar cane was grown on the
St. Lucia flats and canes were introduced from the sugar isle of St. Lucia, it is easily seen how the
district obtained its name. A crushing mill had its existence on the river bank not far from the
present University boatsheds.
To walk from Long Pocket to Toowong in order to catch a train to the town was an every-day
occurrence; later, a horse drawn bus was introduced. These settlers of St. Lucia and Long Pocket
were of stern stuff. To row one’s produce to town, carry it up the steep banks of the river, thence to
what is now the markets and there sell or barter it was all in the day’s work. Attendance at a funeral
involved a walk to town cemetery from Short or Long Pocket – if no horse and dray were available –
such cemetery now being known as Lang Park.
It is of passing interest to know that what is now Indooroopilly Golf Club House was originally the
home of Mr. Dart of the St. Lucia sugar mill, and that children going home from school across what is
now the links used to watch the first Australians spear fishing in a stream nearby; their gunyahs were
built on its banks. Lubras would often come to beg for food at the doors of the early settlers.
In this brochure appears a line reproduction of the first State School built in this district. This 40’x18’
bush school was one of the earliest in the Brisbane area, and though removed from Toowong,
strangely enough, was given that name. Built on the present site of the Ironside School, it served
those children from the farmlands of the St. Lucia flats and Long Pocket.
The years passed, Toowong grew, and by 1880 the Department met the needs of that community by
building a school on the rise above Kay’s Rocks, on land in Aston Street, where now stands the
home of Sir Arthur Fadden. The new school was then called Toowong, while the original one was
named Indooroopilly, and as such it remained until a school was opened in the Indooroopilly district.
Still another name, Indooroopilly Pocket, was now given to the school, which already had the
distinction of two names, but as mails were constantly delivered to the wrong schools (as may well
be imagined), the name was once again changed. This time it became Ironside.
Many people wonder how the school came by this unusual name. In the early days of this State
there lived a Presbyterian Minister, John Dunmore Lang, who combined with preaching a taste for
politics, land settlement and real estate. This fiery parson brought out from the Old Country many
migrants to work in the cotton fields of Queensland, using the ships “Fortitude”, “Chaseley” and
“Lima”. These old names live again in Fortitude Valley, Chaseley Street and Lima Street, while in
Dunmore Terrace and Lang Parade the name of the Minister lives on. He brought a large estate on
the ridge looking the two “Pockets” which was called the Ironside Estate, hence the name of your
district and school.
The second building on these grounds served its purpose until 1936, when a brick structure was built.
The write remembers it in those days as a low brick building of four classrooms. The efforts of relief
workers during the depression years had carved out with pick and shovel what is now the oval – no
easy task on that unfriendly, stony ridge. It may be of interest to readers to know that the structure
which superseded the original school building was removed to Macquarie Street (behind the St.
Lucia Picture Theatre) and stands to-day, a fine tribute to the quality of the timber of earlier days.
St. Lucia, however, by 1936 was really growing. The main block of the University had been
completed and in the post-war years the suburb developed quickly. In February, 1946, the school
enrolment was 250; to-day it is almost 1150. In 1937 there were four classrooms; five years later
there were three more; to-day there are twenty-six. By 1959 there will be twenty-nine classrooms.
The staff in 1946 comprised five teachers; today it is twenty-seven and there are fifty-two student
teachers.
In 1930 Mr J.F. McCaffrey (now deceased) Registrar of Queensland University said: - “Would one be
too rash to predict that the decade on which we are soon to enter will, in the history of this school,
far eclipse its progress in any previous decade? Possibly not. This area is destined soon to become
one of Brisbane’s most beautiful suburbs. Perforce, the school will be obliged to keep pace with such
development. The transfer of the University to its permanent site in this locality (whenever that
event will occur), and the establishment of a Diploma of Education as one of its activities, may
possibly bring this school into close association with the University, as a Practising School, in which
teacher trainees may be accommodated for part of their school practice.”
“His predictions have all come true. This is Brisbane’s most beautiful suburb. The school has, I
consider, kept pace with developments, as is evidenced to-day. The University is in its permanent
site; it has its chair of Education; this school has become a Practising School and in the future, when
a Training College will be built in the vicinity of the University, it role in the training of teachers will
be still further strengthened.