Albert State School

The 1883 Albert State School is a picturesque timber building on the corner of Zante and Albert Streets. It was designed by architect Robert Ferguson, the Superintendent of Buildings for the Department of Public Instruction. The school and headmaster’s residence were completed by local builders G and E Negus. Ferguson’s designs featured tall and decorative ventilation spires to the roof, and louvered panels to the gable apex to vent the classrooms. His buildings were decoratively-treated with a variety of elaborate timber work and were heralded by educationalists as 'far superior in design, material and workmanship to any we have before built'. The school grounds were planted with trees and gardens for beautification and shade. A sandstone obelisk war memorial was unveiled in December 1917, honouring past pupils killed during WWI, with names added as the war continued. During the 1920s, windows in the gable walls facing the street were enlarged to provide better lighting and ventilation. In 1930 a marble tablet was unveiled memorialising the recently deceased George James; head teacher for 24 years. A high-set timber structure was built at to the rear of the eastern wing in 1932. Few building additions were made until the 1980s.