Toowoomba South State School is one of six schools in the state earmarked for closure. The fence was covered in yellow ribbons honouring past students and teachers. (ABC Southern Qld: Peter Gunders)
Annette Steemson baked a cake for her son's class. "It's a bit sad because it's been a really great school. I absolutely loved the school. A lot of the other parents are quite upset. They're at the same point as me, they don't want it to close, but it has to happen. The teachers have been absolutely lovely. For such a small school they've done a great job. I brought the cake because my son asked me to bring something, he didn't want his friends to miss out. In some ways the children don't want the school to close, I know it's a 'goodbye' cake, but you want to be a 'have a great year next year' cake." ()
Megan Bendall and Craig Bliss dropped Hannah and Alkira off for the last time. "It's upsetting," says Megan. "We're not happy, but what more can you say? This is part of Toowoomba history. 148 years. Gone just like that. I've kept the uniforms, and yesterday the children were given a brick with the emblem on it." "It probably had just fallen off the building," jokes Craig. "The kids are ok...They wanted to come every day this week." ()
Not even a superhero could save the school. Julie Mott says her son Declan chose to dress up as Iron Man for the last day. "It's pretty cool", she says of her son's attire, but adds, "it's a bit of a sad day." ()
Debbie Pampling and her son Daniel walked up the stairs for one last time. "We got the news in June. Since then I've visited six different schools to find the best school to put my son into. It's been a big thing for parents, all sitting down to decide where to send children next year. We were given money for each child, but you know what? You don't pay a child off. It was $500. Whether they paid $500 or $2000 that's not going to replace the school staying open. We fought to keep it open, but we didn't have the final decision. I will miss the school, and if I could I'd turn back the clock, but life goes on." ()
For the children attending Toowoomba South it was the final day of school for the year... and the final day of the school forever.
Established in 1865, the school was the oldest in Toowoomba, and one of six earmarked for closure in September this year.
The Government has yet to make public what the land will be used for, but the school building was heritage listed earlier this month.
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