THE fate of the Tallegalla school building is set to be decided by Ipswich City Council next week.
Council is considering surrendering the land and facilities to avoid major works required on the school building.
The school was established in 1879 and is one of the few surviving reminders of what was once a larger community.
Council was granted trusteeship of the heritage-listed property in 1998, meaning it is responsible for the management of the property on behalf of Queensland Government.
Since taking trusteeship, the property has been used by a number of community groups and the general public for events.
Australian Crawl (Goodna) also held trustee permits from September 2013 to August 2019.
According to Council reports, the buildings and facilities need significant rehabilitation and refurbishment to ensure existing standards and maintenance obligations are met.
A $120,000 refurbishment of the buildings is required to meet current standards, with an additional $180,000 required for ongoing operational maintenance over the next 10 years.
According to Council reports, an organisation has expressed interest to take over trusteeship of the land and has plans to refurbish the buildings and facilities at its own cost.
Council is now considering whether to surrender the property to the Queensland Government, or to rehabilitate the buildings and facilities and enter into a lease with a suitable organisation.
A survey carried out by council shows 73 per cent of respondents prefer the school to be retained by Ipswich City Council.
Many respondents emphasised the importance of preserving the school’s historical and cultural heritage and wanted to see the property activated.
There was a mixed response on whether Council should be responsible for the costs of rehabilitating the property.
Tom Else, who has lived on the family farm on Else Rd all his life and attended Tallegalla Primary School from 1946, said the school house overlooks his farm.
Mr Else’s children, his mother and grandfather also went to the Tallegalla school.
He said the school should be used for educational purposes, possibly for remedial education.
“There is an outlet for education for the disadvantaged that have trouble learning,” he said.
“The school has a park-like setting and it gives the child a chance to learn and absorb things. It is removed from the hustle and bustle of town environment. It is a good learning environment.”
Mr Else said the school was the hub of Tallegalla.
“It has a tremendous history attached to that site,” he said. “The last thing the community wants is for it to be handed over to some group that may not be acceptable in the area.”
