In the north-west Queensland town of Ravenswood, history is a part of its DNA and livelihood.

Key points: Ravenswood State School is relocating due to a local gold mine purchasing the land from the Department of Education

Ravenswood State School is relocating due to a local gold mine purchasing the land from the Department of Education Part of the relocation involved moving and renovating two heritage-listed buildings from the late 1800s

Part of the relocation involved moving and renovating two heritage-listed buildings from the late 1800s The school's pool from the 1920s will be commemorated at the new school site

Ravenswood was a thriving gold mining town 150 years ago, but now the quaint community boasts just over 250 residents, two pubs, a general store, and a primary school with 23 students.

But the gold mining continues, as Resolute Mining has recently announced it will expand its Ravenswood project which involves reopening the Buck Reef West and Sarsfield pits near the Ravenswood State School grounds.

"The mine has been doing exploration and have found that there's gold on our site, so they've purchased the site from the Department of Education," Ravenswood State School Principal Serena Johnstone said.

"Because of that, they're building a new school for us [at a different location], so it's great," she said.

The school building was built in 1873 with the school opening in 1874. ( Supplied: State Library of Queensland )

As part of the school's relocation, the two heritage-listed buildings at the school needed to be moved to the new site.

"The school house and the original school building were built in 1873 and the school opened in 1874 so the buildings are 146 years old," Ms Johnstone said.

"For the last few years the buildings have remained unkempt and vacant so it's great they are being moved to a new site, refurbished and the heritage will be retained."



Making the move

Rebecca McLellan, the mine's community relations advisor, said heritage architects were brought in to work on the project, to ensure the renovations retained the heritage features of the buildings.

The heritage-listed residence building was transported in 45 minutes to the new school site. ( Supplied: Rebecca McLellan )

"We had a very strong response from the community and the Department of Environment and Science about keeping the heritage of the school with the new school site," Ms McLellan said.

"They say the old principal's residence is the oldest residence in north Queensland.

"The principal's residence hasn't been used since the 1990s due to lead paint in the walls and asbestos in the footing so as part of the relocation, it will be completed renovated which I think is a fantastic result for the heritage."

The mining staff, including some who have children at the school, have been assisting them with the move.

"We are on the ground here, helping out wherever possible," Ms McLellan said.

"We've had people here packing boxes and containers, doing everything we can to ease the transition."

The school pool story to live on

Although it has its own heritage listing, the Ravenswood State School pool will not be moved to the new school site.

The school's pool is well-known in the area, as students originally brought bricks from home to build it in the 1920s.

The Students at the school contributed to building the pool in the early 1900s. ( ABC North Qld: Hannah Palmer )

"The original school pool is a separate heritage listing to the school and it's not on the school grounds, it's across the road," Ms McLellan said.

"Obviously rebuilding the pool isn't a possibility as we already have a great pool in town, but we are trying to think of a way to bring that history [to the new school]."

The school has made plans to commemorate the pool before they move to the new site next year.

"To retain that history with the new school, the students are going to take a brick from the pool that's here and walk from our school here down to the new school," Ms Johnstone said.

"They'll place the bricks in the garden and make a school garden or memorial to tie in with the old and new."

The historic pool at the school has a separate heritage listing. ( ABC North Qld: Hannah Palmer )

New and old together

Ms Johnstone said the students were excited about the move to the other side of town.

"This has been about a three-year project in waiting so now that it's actually happening they're really excited, they can't wait," she said.

"I think they are also really happy to see both the old buildings will be refurbished there too."

The upgraded school facilities include a bigger classroom, new sports area including an oval, technology and according to the students, most importantly, a tuckshop.