General News
3 June, 2026
School needs help for 110th
A 110-YEAR milestone will be celebrated in style at South Johnstone State School on 6 June with a monster cent sale packed with market stalls, prizes, food, refreshments and family fun.
The event, running from 10am to 2pm, honours the school’s rich history and generations of families who have passed through its gates.
The cent sale opens at 10am, offering more than 100 fantastic prizes and the prize draw will commence at 1.30pm.
As part of the anniversary, the school is calling on past students, staff and volunteers to share their memories of school life, friendships and the paths they’ve taken since leaving.
Acting school principal Sarah Maley said every story mattered.
“No matter whether your journey has taken you near or far, your story is an important part of our school’s history and community,” she said.
“Stories can be emailed to admin@southjohnstone.eq.edu.au and it’s a fantastic way to reflect on the past and celebrate how the school has helped shape so many lives.”
Former student, Sue Atkinson, who attended from 1960 to 1966, fondly recalled the pine tree plot on the left hand side of the school, her love of sport and representing the school in netball.
South Johnstone State School first opened on 5 June 1916 in the town’s O.K. Picture Hall with 43 pupils.
By year’s end, enrolments had grown to 73 despite the challenges of operating inside a picture theatre.
A new school building was set to open in March 1918, but disaster struck when a devastating cyclone on 10 March destroyed the new school, the picture hall and 90% of the township.
Classes resumed temporarily under the school residence in May 1918 and by 1919 a new building with one classroom welcomed 82 pupils.
Growth continued over the decades, with a new classroom added in 1937, a new wing (B block) opening in 1972, and the preschool building officially opening on 10 June 1980.
A major refurbishment in 2010 under the Building the Education Revolution Project modernised the library, classrooms and administration block, while preserving the historic charm of the original building.
South Johnstone suffered damage during Cyclone Larry in 2006 and the following year saw the introduction of prep students.
In 2011, the school received a sizable grant from the federal government to refurbish and upgrade the office, staffroom and library.
Another grant in 2015 enabled the P&C Association to build a new senior playground.
For more than a century, the school has served the South Johnstone community and surrounding sugar cane and banana growing districts.
Many current students are the children or grandchildren of past pupils, reflecting the school’s deep roots and enduring role in the social and educational life of the region. The school’s history is one of resilience, community spirit and adaptation, from rebuilding after natural disasters to embracing modern facilities while honouring its heritage.
Read More: Cassowary Coast