They came from near and far to remember Brooloo 
by Pat Smith, The Gympie Times, September 3, 2007.
by Pat Smith, The Gympie Times, September 3, 2007.FROM babes in arms to a gentleman of 100 years, they came from St Kilda in the south, Babinda in the north, Surat and Coonabarrabran in the west and many places in between they came.
And they were all there for the 100 years since the establishment of the Brooloo School on July 15, 1907. At the time of its opening, the school was called The Bluff Provisional School and had as its head teacher a Samuel Bridges.
Last Sunday about 220 past and present residents, including past pupils, their partners, children and grandchildren, as well as past teachers and a head teacher, Jim Shute and his wife, Noela, gathered at the Brooloo Hall.
As a note of interest, from the time it became known as the Brooloo State Schooling 1916 to when it closed in 1970, the school had only head teachers, Thomas Bath 1916-1952, James Shute, 1952-1970 and Clinton Fisher until the time of its closure.
Samuel Bridges and Mary Foley were head teachers between 1910 and 1916, when it was called the Bluff State School.
Visitors started rolling in for the reunion from around 9am on Sunday, with the last of the crowd leaving around 4.30pm.
Many visitors stayed overnight in the area, including Lawrie, Neville, Ken and Ray Smith, with their partners and some of their children and grandchildren. The other brother, the late Sid Smith, was represented by his wife, Eva (Reynolds), a former Imbil girl and her daughter and her two children.
The Smith boys’ father, Hugh, was a dairy farmer and a councilor on the old Widgee Shire Council. Hugh's sister, Gertrude (Ball), was a first day pupil at the school. Previously unknown relations were united at the reunion.
Doug Humphries and his two daughters, Fay and Kay Humphries, came all the way from Babinda in North Queensland, to be present for the occasion. Doug’s parents were Annie Smith and William Robert Humphries and are related to the aforementioned Smith clan.
One hundred-year-old George Weldon, from Caloundra, was at the reunion, with son Jack Weldon, from Toogoolawah, along with George’s sister, 93 year old Violet Lawler, nee Weldon, from Bundaberg, who attended the Brooloo School.
Federal member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss, officially opened the formal part of the proceedings and said that we expect so much more these days than what was expected 100 years ago, when the main emphasis for schools was on the children learning to read and write. He said that the people should be thankful for the vision of those who thought it was important enough to build a school.
Also in attendance at the reunion was Cooloola Shire Mayor, Mick Venardos, with his wife, Tina. A number of people, including Jennifer Cook (nee Grainger), Damien Vesnaver (nee Axelby), Neville Smith, who wrote the book, “Brooloo School, 1907-2007” for the occasion, Marilyn Horsfall, Reg Carmichael and Graeme Usher spoke on incidents which happened during their school years and at other times throughout the district.
Carmel Shute, a daughter of former head teacher, Jim Shute, related stories about her school life and of how Dougie Pearman, who was 12 at the time when she was only five, made her carry his port to school. She said that that was probably why she went on to become a rabid feminist.
To the great delight of the crowd, Jim Shute and his wife, Noela, were there for the occasion. In a moving tribute to Jim Shute, Edna Kina, told of how, when the old state wide Scholarship exam was abolished in 1963, she refused to go back to school. It was only after a visit from Mr Shute that she was persuaded to do so, and she was so grateful she did, as she then went on to obtain a college education and her life would have been so different had she not done so.
A poem, written by Jim Shute for his grand-daughter Emily, which was in the book written for the reunion, was read to the gathering by emcee for the day, Rob Priebe.
All had lifetimes of tales to tell
by Pat Smith, The Gympie Times, September 3, 2007
by Pat Smith, The Gympie Times, September 3, 2007
Former Widgee Shire Councilor, 95-year-old George Burtenshaw, had the audience in the palm of his hand, as he spoke of the wonderful community spirit which pervaded throughout the district in years gone by.
On the topic of climate change he said that there has definitely been a change in the weather patterns, warning the crowd that the hall is built on a flood plain and that he had seen the water up to the third step of the hall in one flood of bygone years.
Reg Carmichael told of how he and his sister, Anita, had been sent up to Brooloo during the war years, to live with their grandparents, Rose and Andrew Doyle, who had the saw-mill there. He spoke fondly of those years and of the people of the area.
A number of people brought their gold medals, which they had been given for achieving highest marks for the year, in their end of year exams. One such person was 91 year old Marjorie Horsfall, nee, O’Leary, The inscription on the medal read, ‘Marjorie G. O’Leary, General Proficiency, 84.4 per cent, Christmas, 1925.
Tributes were also paid to another former head teacher, Thomas Bath and his wife, Elsie, who, as wife of the head teacher had to teach the girls sewing for half a day a week.
As well as teaching the children the three Rs, he also encouraged them greatly in sport with the Brooloo School winning Tunnel Ball many, many times in Gympie when Thomas Bath was the Head Teacher.
For many of the folk there, it was a last long trip down memory lane, as quite a number the visitors were in their nineties, with a large number of them being 60 or over.
It is a credit to the organizers of the function, including Neville Smith, Damien Vesnaver, nee Axelby, Ruth Dearden and the other members of the Brooloo Reunion Committee, who organized the wonderful supply of food for the day, that the day was the great success it was.
Winner of the seafood raffle which was donated by Ken and Brenda Smith, from Tannum Sands , was Glen Carlson, from Brooloo; Ann Farrell won the book donated by Neville Smith, and Warren Weier won CD of old photographs of past members of the community and pupils. The bottle of snakes guessing competition was won by Hannah Hassen and Connor Smith won the ‘guess the number of Fruit Chews’ competition.
Neville Smith, author of the book, “Brooloo School1907-08” which was written for the occasion, is hoping to set up a trust fund to provide a medal each year tor the Imbil School, from the profits from the sale of the books. The medal will be known as ‘The Brooloo Medal’.
(Books are available from Neville Smith, 1/39 Noble Str. Clayfield, 4011; (07)32621321 or email: nevsmith1@optusnet.com.au ( cost is $10 for one, $18 for two or $25 for three.) Please enclose $2.00 postage for each order.
Edna Kina praised Mr Shute for his teaching abilities and his genuine concern for pupils.
Ken Smith, son of Hughie Smith, grandson of Sidney Gardiner Smith, talks of his days in Brooloo.
Vince Carmichael, Brisbane whose mother Kathleen went to Brooloo School between 1937 and 1943, Georgina Kirby from Mooloolaba who went to the school for the same years, and Kevin Kirby whose mother Lillian Doyle started at the school around 1910/11.
Marjorie Horsfall (O’Leary) with general proficiency gold medal won 1925 for 84.4 per cent in exams.
Carmel Shute, daughter if Jim and Noela Shute, speaks of her memories Brooloo School and Brooloo district.
Jim Shute with reunion committee members, Enid Jackson, (Suthers), Anne Farell, (Cutter), Grace Hughes, Susan Young (Simpson), Ruth Dearden.
Neville Smith, writer of Brooloo School 1907-2007, with nephew Troy Smith, Gladstone
Federal member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss addresses the crowd during the 'official' proceedings of the day.
Joy Smith tells of her Brooloo School days.
Violet Lawler (Weldon), Marjorie Horsfall (O'Leary), .....name not known of lady on the right, Doug Humphries. Please advise if you know this lady's name.
Jim Shute, Enid Jackson (Suthers), Anne Farrell (Cutter), Grace Hughes, Susan Young (Simpson) and Ruth Dearden, seated.
Brooloo's only ever public transport.
A day for reliving fond memories
These pictures did not appear in The Gympie Times. Some have part captions only. (Please advise me if you can match names to faces).
Rob Priebe of Imbil was the MC for the day. He is pictured here with Enid Jackson and Pat Priebe.
Special guests Jim and Noela Shute. Jim taught at Brooloo for 18 years prior his transfer Milla Milla.
Pictures Pat Smith for The Gympie Times.
Jennifer Grainger (Cook) spoke of her experiences within the Brooloo community.
Where is she now?
Annie Lamb and Valerie Mallet who were on the Hall committee organizing the food for the day.
Jack Weldon, Toogoolawah, centenarian George Weldon, Caloundra, 93-year-old Violet Lawler (Weldon), Bundaberg.
Neville Smith, 1/39 Noble Str., Clayfield..4011 nevsmith1@optusnet.com.au (o7) 3262 1321
In the Aramac (Q) Railway Museum!
