Reunion organiser and past student, Kate Lawless with Des Cummins at Saturday’s Burramine South School reunion.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
Laughter, memories, and a touch of nostalgia filled the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club on Saturday as former students of Burramine South School came together to celebrate the place that shaped their early lives.
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Almost 50 people gathered to revisit the stories of a school that once stood at the heart of the Burramine farming district.
For organiser Kate Lawless, who attended Burramine South from 1955 to 1960, bringing everyone back together was a dream long in the making.
“It just came to me one night at sunset out at Burramine, and I thought we should have a reunion,” Kate said.
“The old school might be gone, but the spirit never left.”
Established around 1919 and closed in 1993, Burramine South School educated generations of local families; the Lawlesses, Cummins, Doyles, and O’Dwyers among them.
At its fullest, just 20 children sat side by side, all taught by a single teacher.
Kate said it was small but felt like family.
She remembers the generosity of the community and the simplicity of country life, where teachers stayed with local families and most didn’t have cars, so they’d ride their bike to school.
Burramine South School was opened in 1919 and closed in 1993. A reunion of past students rekindled friendships and memories of an era gone by.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
“My first teacher was Malcolm Hughes, and later we had John MacArthur,” Kate said.
“They were both dedicated and kind; they had to be, teaching every grade in the one room.”
Both men were remembered fondly on Saturday, for their patience and ability to make learning personal, even when resources were scarce.
Though the Department of Education sold the site after the school closed, the original weatherboard classroom still stands, now at Kate’s sister’s property nearby.
It serves as a tangible link to the past and to six generations of the Lawless family who have lived and farmed in the area.
“Once you own land, it’s in your blood,” Kate said.
“That soil holds stories of everyone who learned and lived there.”
Saturday’s celebration was a group effort.
John Cummins and Laureen Cummins joined Kate in collecting almost 70 old photographs showing barefoot sports days, handmade costumes for end-of-year concerts, and smiling students posing outside the weatherboard walls.
“It was a simple childhood with barefoot races, concerts in the Burramine Hall, and a teacher who did everything,” Kate said.
“We didn’t know how special it was at the time.
“There isn’t a lot written about the school itself. Everyone remembers something different, and those memories are what complete the story.
“Saturday’s’ reunion was a chance to share laughter, reconnect with long-lost classmates, and reflect on how far they’ve come since those early schoolyard days.
“We might forget faces, but the feeling of those days never fades.”
As old friends swapped stories and photos, one sentiment kept returning, that Burramine South was more than just a schoolhouse; it was the heart of a community.
