Berserker Street State School is a heritage-listed state school at 128–140 Berserker Street, Berserker, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Department of Public Works (Queensland), Robert and John Ferguson and built from 1880 to 1926. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 20 September 2019.
History Berserker Street State School, established in 1917, is situated approximately 2.5 km northeast of the Rockhampton CBD on a 4.27ha site. It is important in demonstrating the evolution of state education and its associated architecture. The school retains a good example of a suburban timber school building (Block A, central and north wings, 1917–1918) with a Ferguson timber school building addition (south wing, 1888, relocated 1926) and is set in landscaped grounds with mature trees. The school has been in continuous operation since its establishment and has been a focus for the local community as a place for important social and cultural activities.
The Rockhampton area is the traditional land of the Dharumbal people. The Archer brothers, who made a private expedition to the Rockhampton district in 1853, were the first Europeans to record and chart the Fitzroy River. The Archers were also the first European pastoralists to arrive in the area. Their establishment of Gracemere Station led to further pastoral expansion into the area. The Archers, who had spent several years in Norway, named the mountain range to the northeast of Rockhampton, the Berserker Range, after Norse saga hero, Baresark.Berserker Street State Primary School, 75th Anniversary, 1917–1992, Berserker Street State School Parents' and Citizens' Association, 1992, p.8.
After the short-lived Canoona gold rush of 1858, Rockhampton was proclaimed as a town and declared a "port of entry" in 1858. Following the gold rush, the town of Rockhampton developed as an entry and export town for Central Queensland. Rockhampton emerged as an important Queensland regional centre during the 1850s and 1860s. The Municipality of Rockhampton was proclaimed on 15 December 1860. Rockhampton's development took on a greater prominence after the discovery of the mining wealth at Mount Morgan in 1882. The Borough of North Rockhampton, with a population of less than 1700, was established in 1883.
North Rockhampton developed as a predominately working class area in comparison with the wealthier south side of the Fitzroy River. In 1881, a bridge was constructed linking the north and the south, which encouraged urban development on the northern side.The Capricornian, 8 January 1881, p.7Elizabeth Anne Parker, Rockhampton in Retrospect, Local History Publication, Rockhampton, p.39. In 1899, the Alexandra Railway Bridge was opened, linking north and south Rockhampton by rail over the Fitzroy River. At the time, a major North Rockhampton industry was the Lakes Creek Meatworks, located several kilometres downstream, providing a great deal of employment for residents on the north bank. The new railway bridge provided a means of efficient transport of cattle to the works.Gordon Stewart and Bradley Bowden, "The 1946 Meat Strike in Queensland: A Regional Perspective", International Journal of Employment Studies, Vol.12, April 2004, pp.24-25 By the turn of the century, its population had steadily increased, and by 1911 had reached almost 3000 people.
By the early 20th century, several schools had been established in North Rockhampton, including Rockhampton North State School (1871), Lakes Creek State School (1872), Frenchville State School (1900) and Park Avenue State School (1901).A.E. Hermann, The Development of Rockhampton and District, Central Queensland Family History Association, 2002, Rockhampton, pp.96-98Queensland State Archives: Agency ID9088, Rockhampton North State SchoolAgency ID5412, Lakes Creek State SchoolAgency ID5226, Frenchville State SchoolAgency ID5608, Park Avenue State School. As the population of the district increased, efforts were made by the Department of Public Instruction to expand existing schools. The problems of overcrowding, however, persisted, and some children had to walk several miles to the closest school.Morning Bulletin, 11 November 1916, p.7.
A committee was formed to lobby the government for a new school in central North Rockhampton, and in 1916 the Minister for Public Instruction, Herbert Hardacre, inspected a potential 5 acre (2ha) school site with the local minister, John Adamson. This government-owned land was situated on a sloping site over-run with prickly pear, scrub and feral goats. At the time, the vacant land was for sale. On inspection, however, the Minister concurred that the site was suitable for a school, was withdrawn from sale, and gazetted as a school reserve.Queensland Government Gazette, No. 232, 16 December 1916, p.1892The Education Office Gazette, Queensland Government, June 1916, p.255
Tenders for the construction of the school were called in April 1916 with John Hutchinson awarded the £1961 contract. The school had almost been completed by November 1916 when the Morning Bulletin stated that "the building is indeed all that a modern school should be and the residents of North Rockhampton are to be congratulated upon having been given such a fine structure".Morning Bulletin, 3 April 1916, p.1Telegraph, 2 June 1916, p.9. The new timber school building, which could accommodate 148 students, contained three classrooms and two angled teachers rooms connected by a 10 ft (3m) wide verandah, and was supported by brick pillars with a concreted play area underneath. Glazed folding partitions divided the classrooms and hat rooms were located at the ends of the verandah.Queensland Department of Public Works, Report of the DPW to 30 June 1916, p.8. In 2019, this building forms the central wing of Block A.
Under the stewardship of the Department of Public Works (DPW) and its staff of some of Queensland's most innovative architects, school buildings became more advanced through an evolution of standard designs.Paul Burmester, Margaret Pullar and Michael Kennedy, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, a report for the Department of Education, 1996, pp.17, 19-20 In the early 20th century, with a growing concern about child health in education, the DPW evolved its school building designs with recommendations from medical professionals on light and ventilation. Notably, high-set buildings were introduced , providing better ventilation as well as informal teaching space and a covered play area in the understorey. This form became characteristic of Queensland schools. A new technical innovation was a continuous, hinged ventilation flap on the wall at floor level to increase air flow into the classroom and, combined with a ceiling vent and large roof fleche, improved internal air quality and decreased temperatures.Burmester et al, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, pp.19-20. Windows were considerably enlarged and sills were lowered to provide a greater amount of natural light into the room. These windows were provided to one wall of the classroom only, to the left hand side of the student, and any other windows remained small and very highset.Burmester et al, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, p.27. Smaller classrooms in serial arrangement were preferred as they were easier to light well and correctly. The lighter and airier interiors met with immediate approval from educationalists.Burmester et al, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, pp.19-21.
The type chosen for Berserker Street State School was the new suburban timber school building type, which was the culmination of the early 20th century experimentation with light, ventilation, and classroom size, and was regarded as providing the ideal, modern education environment. It was the grandest of the standard timber designs of the time, and included all of the lighting and ventilation techniques developed. It was constructed for large, model, or high profile schools in growing suburban areas, and was not extensively deployed, lasting until around 1920.Suburban Timber School Building type is designated C/T8 in Burmester et al, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, p.21-8. Other examples include Silkstone State School (1915), Cannon Hill State School (1915) and Enoggera State School (1916).
The school was completed by the beginning of 1917 and Patrick James Griffin was appointed head teacher. In late January, the newly formed school committee sent an invitation to the Minister of Public Instruction, HF Hardacre, to officiate at the opening ceremony.Morning Bulletin, 25 January 1917, p.4. Disappointingly for the school community, the Minister could not attend, but made assurances that he would be present at an official opening ceremony in the near future. An "unofficial" ceremony was held regardless in late January, attended by local dignitaries including minister John Adamson.Capricornian, 3 February 1917, p.37. Classes began in February, and the school's initial enrolment of 195 students had increased to 316 by the end of the year.Berserker Street State Primary School, 75th Anniversary, 1917-1992, Berserker Street State School Parents and Citizens' Association, 1992, p.5. In September the school's original name of Berserker State School was changed to Berserker Street, to avoid confusion with the Berserker railway station, located approximately 3 km to the southeast.Morning Bulletin, 8 September 1917, p.4The Education Office Gazette, Queensland Government, October 1917, p.438Berserker Street State Primary School, 75th Anniversary, 1917-1992, Berserker Street State School Parents and Citizens' Association, 1992, p.4.
From its opening in 1917, the planting of trees in the school grounds was an important activity for the school community and students participated in Arbor Day celebrations, an annual event in Queensland since 1890. Aesthetically-designed gardens were encouraged by regional inspectors, and educators believed gardening and Arbor Days instilled in young minds the value of hard work and activity, improved classroom discipline, developed aesthetic tastes, and inspired people to stay on the land. Two types of fig trees had been planted by the school committee in 1917 and the following year the progress of these trees was noted, 'an inspection of the shade trees planted on Arbor Day showed that the Moreton Bay figs had made splendid progress, but that the majority of weeping figs had died.'Burmester et al, Queensland Schools A Heritage Conservation Study, a report for the Department of Education, 1996, pp.48-49Morning Bulletin, 17 December 1917, p.8Morning Bulletin, 2 April 1918, p.9. A very large, early fig tree remains in front of Block A in 2019, and other mature trees along the western boundary, including figs and a schotia (Schotia brachypetala) are the earliest trees surviving on the site and illustrate the school's tradition of planting trees around the perimeter of the grounds.DPW plan, barcode no.11765743, "Site plan", amended to show existing planting 4 December 1970DNRME aerial photo QAP0616016, 1956DNRME aerial photo QAP2152032, 1970Google Earth aerials and street view (accessed July 2019).
From the outset, the school had problems with overcrowding as enrolment numbers continuously increased. In April 1918, the school committee wrote to the Minister of Public Instruction requesting extra classrooms. This was approved by the Minister, and a £1390 addition, which now forms the north wing of Block A, was constructed soon after. It comprised two classrooms, divided by a folding partition, built on concrete pillars above a concreted play area. The DPW annual report from 1918 stated that the design for the school would be complete once another wing had been constructed to the south.Morning Bulletin, 1 October 1918, p.8Queensland Department of Public Works, Report of the DPW to 30 June 1918, p.3.