1853 – 1970’s
Mernda Primary School No. 0488 was first established in 1853 on Plenty Road just south of Bridge Inn Road. Originally named ‘Plenty State School’, it was renamed to Mernda Primary School in 1913 in line with a change in suburb name. The original school building still stands today near the entry to the Woodland Waters estate. The original school buildings were made from palings, weather boards and covered with a shingle roof.
Although the rooms were built with two large chimneys at either end, it was extremely cold in winter. Lighting was also an issue, as electricity wasn’t installed until the early 1950’s. There were two windows looking into a verandah and only a small light above the outside door. The teacher’s main concern though was there was nowhere to hang caps and bonnets!
1970’s – 2011
In the early 1970’s, our student enrolment numbers grew to over 100 students. The Plenty Road Site could no longer cope, especially without town water and only three toilets! The new four-classroom Mernda Primary School building was opened in Johnson’s Road, Mernda in 1976. Over the years portables and other structures continued to be added in order to accommodate growing student numbers.
2011 – Present
In 2011 Mernda Primary School moved to its current site on Everton Drive and into brand new school buildings and grounds. The new building accommodated up to 450 students and Mernda Primary also hosts a 2007-2010 Labour Government Building Education Reform (BER) building, with 4 classrooms along with modern portable classrooms to accommodate its growing population.
Today with an enrolment of almost 1000 students and a rapidly growing population in the surrounding area, our current site in Everton Drive, Mernda Villages caters for the school’s every need. This state of the art facility features open learning areas, STEAM learning spaces, an inviting Library resource area, Performing Arts Centre, Gymnasium, playgrounds for all ages encouraging cooperative and creative play, a Digihub and an Environmental Area known fondly as the ‘Frog Bog’.
Our current school site allows Mernda Primary to move into the 21st century and provide our students with buildings and facilities that we are proud of.
