Snapshots of school’s past sought

A MILESTONE birthday is on the horizon for Buninyong Primary School, and staff are calling on people to help make the occasion a memorable one.

The institution will turn 150 years old in September, and principal Bernie Conlan is asking for photos, archives, and memorabilia to help mark the milestone.

“We’ve got very little in the way of archives and things like that,” he said.

“So, we’re hoping to really crank that up so we’re asking for photos people have so we can take copies of them.”

A Facebook page has been created where people can send through digital material for the anniversary.

“We’ve had class photos sent through and some from special events,” Mr Conlan said. “We’ve got heaps from probably the early 1980s onwards but very few before then.

“We’re asking for anything but we’re most enjoying photos from before that decade.”

The celebrations will take place on Friday 1 September with assembly presentations from past students.

Guided tours and activities will follow while current students will be able to dress up for the day with attire based on an era of their choice.

Mr Conlan said the callout has led to new discoveries about the school’s history.

“A guy turned up who’d work at public works for years and brought photos of the original architect’s drawings of the school,” he said. “That’s solved a few mysteries for us in the structure.”

People can also drop off any archival material and photos at the school to feature physically at the event.