OUR History & Alumni
The original site of La Perouse Public School in the Customs Tower at La Perouse. Photograph Ding Chen 2018 for the 150th Anniversary of La Perouse Public School.
In 2018 Our School Celebrated 150 years oF Education
With the help of a newly formed P&C in partnership with our wonderful community and alumni, in 2018 La Perouse Public School celebrated our 150th anniversary. The following pages are a summary of some of the story we uncovered on this journey. It is always changing and ever evolving and if you have contributions we’d love your feedback and response. It is our long term vision to seek a Historian in Residence for our school. If you are interested to volunteer please get in touch with our P&C or School.
Acknowledgment, Respect and Gratitude: We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and sea on which we live and learn - the Bidjigal people and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging and all First Nations peoples as we hold in our hearts gratitude.
Guidance: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers should be aware that this part of the website may contain images or names of people who have passed away. There are images of people who attended La Perouse Public School between 1900 and 2020.
History and Commemoration Is a Work In Progress: Sensitivity and consultation is an ongoing process for this collection. We wish for our community to share feedback, requests for changes or edits, or the offer of additional information, so that we can ensure that our shared history is accurately shared, spanning all insightful perspectives. We see this as an important part of the process - please email us here if you have any feedback. We acknowledge that our history is vast and apologise that our collection is incomplete, but hope you walk with us as we try. We appreciate your understanding that we are a small group of volunteer parents, grandparents, carers and alumni of the school and we will seek to respond in a timely way. Tel: 9311 2210 Email: laperouse-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Before 1868
1868 was the year a school was founded at Botany Heads which would become La Perouse Public School. It’s vital that we consider the experience of education before this time, at this place.
There are many sources of history for life on this land and water, and we are greatly indebted to the work of our La Perouse Aboriginal community to tell history and share culture. The Bidjigal People and their interactions with many neighbouring groups including of (their) Dharawal language group and many beyond, were always and will always be engaged in the education of their children, as a way of life.
It is always best that an understanding is gained directly and we would recommend learning perspectives of the experience of life before first European contact and what followed. There are many direct sources to explore including the Gujaga Foundation - link to page.
The people of our area, individuals, groups and organisations have over many generations, documented and shared in first person accounts, oral history, art, ceremony, land and sea use and written, to continue the work towards the research (link to Gujaga Foundation Stories) and rigour of sharing perspectives on the continuous experience of life here in Bidjigal Country.
The Bidjigal People are still connected to land and sea around Gamay/Botany Bay and prior to 1868 moved with neighbouring kin and peoples with sacred connection from South Coast NSW through to the Northern Heads of what is now Sydney Harbour. Another exceptional resource to explore is the book Hidden in Plain View The Aboriginal People of Coastal Sydney by Dr Paul Irish of Coast History and Heritage here is a link to the book.
Gujaga Foundation Website - Please click on the image to read more at the Gujaga Foundation.
www.gujagafoundation.org.au
Produced by the ABC Australia and National Museum of Australia. Gamay, also known as Botany Bay, provided Gamayngal, the people belonging to Botany Bay, the resources needed to thrive for many generations. The old people taught the Gamayngal that their language is inseparable from their country. In collaboration with the National Museum of Australia’s exhibition marking the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage to Australia, this collection focuses on the history and culture of Indigenous communities along Australia’s east coast, from the locations Cook wrote about in his journals from that fateful voyage. The National Museum of Australia’s exhibition, Endeavour Voyage: The Untold Stories of Cook and the First Australians, which is now open. The online exhibition can be viewed here https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/en...
Thank you to Raymond Ingrey, Robert Cooley and the Gamay Rangers for sharing their time and knowledge Editor Peter O’Donoghue Produced by Dayvis Heyne Carmen Pratap Produced on Gweagal and Gadigal country Produced by the ABC. Financed with the assistance of the National Museum of Australia.
1868 to 1900
The school Botany Heads that would go on to be named La Perouse Public School was created on the site of the Customs Tower at La Perouse.
1900 to 1950
This image is a class photograph from 1949 courtesy of Aunty Joyce Timbery’s personal archive. It’s one of the earliest photographic records we have of students at our school.
1950 to 1970
1970 to 2000
2000 to 2020
150th Anniversary
1868 to 2018
Alumni
Discover more about our inspiring alumnis who are graduates of La Perouse Public School. We continue to be grateful to their support for our students and community. We know there are many more wonderful people whose stories inspire our current students and we look forward to adding to our list of biographies here.
Simply click on the biography you wish to read and it will open in a larger window.
ARE YOU A FORMER LAPA STUDENT?
We would love to connect and learn more about our past students. If you attended La Perouse Public School for any time at all, please get in touch by filling in the form below, and share your stories about your time at our special school. Your feedback will become part of our history project to capture and record these moments forever.
Feel free to answer all or some of the questions, and use the last question to share any additional information you’d like us to know about your time at LPPS.
We thank you for sharing your story with us and look forward to keeping in touch.