Avalon Public School Archives

Avalon Public School Turns 75: A Diamond Jubilee in Avalon Beach

Avalon Public School is marking 75 years in Avalon Beach, with its Diamond Jubilee carrying the school’s story from its first pupils and early classrooms through to alumni memories and present-day celebrations.

The anniversary year will continue with an Open Day on Thursday, 17 September 2026, followed by the Avalon Public School fete on Sunday, 20 September 2026.

The fete will run from 10am to 3pm at Avalon Public School, 11 Old Barrenjoey Road, and will be open to past students, current families, local residents, friends of the school and visitors.

The event will include rides, laser tag, sideshow alley, a petting zoo, live music, a silent disco, an art auction, tombolas, games, food trucks, a community barbecue, market stalls, craft stalls and a photo booth.

Avalon Public School anniversary fete — Photo Credit: Avalon Public School

Local sponsors and partners have also been announced, with the P&C inviting people to contribute memories, ideas, volunteer time, sponsorship and other support.

These events form part of a broader anniversary program that brings together generations of the Avalon community, linking present-day celebrations with the school’s long history.

From Newport Pupils to a New Avalon School

Avalon Public School was established on 26 May 1951, but its beginnings reach back to the year before.

In August 1950, 66 pupils who had been travelling to Newport Public School from areas north of Newport became the first pupils of the new Avalon school.

Early Avalon school building — Photo Credit: Avalon Public School

By late 1950, the first school building was in place. Doss McGuire, the headmaster’s wife, taught Kindergarten to Year 3 in one half of the building, with teacher Bonnie Kissen also part of the school’s early story.

The school’s first attendance book recorded some of the children who moved from Newport Public School to Avalon, marking the start of a local school community that would continue to grow through the decades.

Avalon pupils on opening day — Caption: Pupils march along Old Barrenjoey Road towards Avalon Public School on its official opening day, 26 May 1951. The procession passed through the shopping centre, including the site now occupied by Woolworths near Avalon Parade. The teacher pictured is believed to be Mr Jim Lane.
Photo Credit: Avalon Public School/*Photo and information from the Avalon Beach Historical Society written by Geoff Searl*

Early Days on Old Barrenjoey Road

The school’s official opening followed on 26 May 1951, when pupils walked south along Old Barrenjoey Road through the shopping centre towards the school.

At that time, the route passed parts of Avalon that have since changed, including the former Avalon Milk Bar and General Store site near Avalon Parade.

Avalon Public School pupils — Caption: Avalon Public School’s first building in late 1950, after 66 pupils from Newport Public School became the first students of the new Avalon school. Doss McGuire, the headmaster’s wife, taught Kindergarten to Year 3 in one half of the building, with teacher Bonnie Kissen standing behind her.
Photo Credit: Avalon Public School/*Photo and information from the Avalon Beach Historical Society written by Geoff Searl*

The first years were shaped by simple buildings, wet weather challenges and steady growth. Heavy rain had delayed the assembly of the first demountable in 1949, before the school’s first classrooms became part of daily life for local children.

By around 1952, the first two school buildings were established, along with a flagpole gifted by A.J. Small. The school grounds also included the beginnings of an open-air theatre and an activity room used by performers.

Traditions That Carried Forward

The school’s early life was not only about classrooms. By the mid-1950s, school events were already becoming part of Avalon Public School’s identity.

In 1956, school captain Jim Small lit a flame during the school’s own version of the Olympic Games, adding another moment to the school’s growing record of assemblies, performances and shared activities.

Caption: Around 1952, Avalon Public School’s first two buildings were established, with the flagpole gifted by A.J. Small in place. The beginnings of the open-air theatre can be seen above the first classroom roof, with the Activity Room, also used as a dressing room for performers, further to the right. Sanders Lane had only recently been formalised.
*Photo Credit: Avalon Public School/Photo and information from the Avalon Beach Historical Society written by Geoff Searl*

Those traditions have continued into the anniversary year, with current students working on poems for a special 75th anniversary edition of We Sing a Song, a school tradition that was also recreated for the 50th anniversary.

A K–6 assembly has also marked the milestone, featuring teacher performances, a combined choir performance and school captains as comperes.

Alumni Memories Return to Avalon Public School

The anniversary has invited past students and families to share memorabilia, photographs, stories and keepsakes, adding personal memories to the school’s formal records.

Former students are also being featured as part of the celebrations, including Katja Davis-Raiss, Class of 2003, founder of Katapult Performing Arts. Her alumni feature connects her time at Avalon Public School with dance, leadership, friendships and memories of a Year 6 musical.

Avalon Public School Alumni — Photo Credit: Avalon Public School

Other alumni listed as part of the anniversary material include Bec and Sam Watson, Mathias Macallister, Simon Herfort, Sam Verrils, Jim Colley, Zac Meatchem, Morgan Webster and Tim Cruickshank.

Students, staff and P&C members have also formed the school crest and the number 75 as part of the anniversary program. The moment was captured in a timelapse video by Tim Seaton, a former Avalon student.

From its first pupils and early buildings to its alumni memories and September events, Avalon Public School’s 75th anniversary places the school’s history at the centre of a year of celebration in Avalon Beach.

Published 25-June-2026

Students Help Shape Avalon Public School’s Renewed Nura Djaroba

Photo Credit: NSW Department of Education/Facebook

Avalon Public School’s community gathered to see a well-loved natural play space return to daily use after a major upgrade, marking a new chapter for an area shaped by students, families and local supporters for nearly three decades.

History And Community Roots

The school welcomed families, staff, students and local community members back into Nura Djaroba during its reopening events held in mid November 2025. Planning and fundraising efforts for the renewal began several years earlier, supported by a NSW Government Community Building Partnership grant matched by school community contributions.

*Photo Credit: NSW Department of Education/Facebook*

Nura Djaroba began in the early 1990s when parents, teachers and local designers worked together to build a natural space that reflected bushland surroundings and Aboriginal knowledge. The space opened in 1996 and supported generations of children who played, learned and explored outdoors.

Student-Led Redesign

Over time the area needed repairs and updates to meet modern standards, prompting the school community to begin renewal work around 2020. Longtime contributors, including members of the original design team, attended the 2025 reopening to see the refreshed area return to use.

The renewal placed students at the centre of planning. School leaders explained that students shaped ideas for features, accessibility and layout. Their input guided choices such as a wider stage, clearer pathways, new natural play elements and full accessibility through the site. The school emphasised that the space forms part of its identity, and student participation ensured the design continued to reflect the children who use it.

Cultural And Environmental Elements

The reopening featured cultural acknowledgement, including a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony led by local First Nations representatives. A new sculpture named Kip the Koala was introduced as a symbol of respect for local heritage, created by Richard Stutchbury, one of the original designers involved in the 1996 project.

*Photo Credit: Avalon Public School/Facebook*

Native plants were added throughout the play area, with each student planting one, continuing a tradition from the original opening. A waratah was planted as a further link between past and present.

A Space For Learning And Play

School staff described the area as a place that encourages creativity, social connection and outdoor learning. Children use the space for play that grows from their imagination, supported by the natural setting and upgraded features.

The project brought together families, students, educators and local residents who share a long connection to the site. The reopening reinforced the importance of community involvement in shaping school environments that support both learning and belonging.

Published 26-November-2025

Students at Avalon Public School Will Have Cooler Classrooms

Students from Avalon Public School will soon enjoy cooler classrooms, thanks to a scheduled approved installation of an air conditioning system under the $500-million Cooler Classrooms Program.

In June 2021, the NSW Government approved the tenders for the aircon installation at Avalon Public School, Bilgola Plateau Public School, and Elanora Heights Public School. These schools were part of the over 400 schools that were enjoined to apply for the installation of the reverse-cycle units in 2019.

Over 600 state schools experiencing temperatures above 30°C in January were automatically included in the Cooler Classrooms Program. However, schools with lower temperature averages that still experienced a warmer environment during the summer, were asked to submit their applications.

Avalon Public School averages a January temperature of about 27°C. The new smart air conditioning systems are expected to deliver a more conducive environment for learning.

Studies have shown that temparature impacts the students’ ability to focus and concentrate in class and the optimal classroom temperature should be between 22°C to 24°C. According to the experts, some two per cent of favourable learning environment is lost for every one-degree rise in temperature.

However, questions have been raised on the process of application approval, as schools with average temperatures reaching almost 30°C have been turned down. Of the 447 schools that applied in the second round, only 15 were approved, including Avalon Public School.

Meanwhile, several schools within the Penrith, Blacktown, and Windsor triangle, which have warmer microclimates that sometimes reached 37°C, missed out on the program. Critics said that the NSW Govermment should have identified and targetted these schools instead of basing the decision on the applications.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said that applications were audited based on the technical requirements, the electrical capacity of the school, and the number of classrooms. Ms Mitchell also said that the government will look into the additional requirements from other schools after the “rollout of the current delivery priorities.”

Since the announcement of the program in 2018, 922 schools have received or will soon get the cooling systems in the first and second rollouts. The government plans to complete its target by June 2022.