Uleybury School, One Tree Hill

Uleybury school was built in the early 1856 due to the efforts of Moses Bendle Garlick who approached the Central Board of Education requesting assistance to construct a school.  The government offered £150 on the proviso that local residents would raise an equal amount. The estimated cost of the new school was around £400 and the governments offer fell somewhat short of the locals expectations.  A local Cleric, Reverend Butterfield donated the land on which the school was built.  The first teacher, Mr Alex John Mattingly lived on site was responsible for 18 boys and 16 girls. 

In 1867 the One Tree Hill district was described as an agricultural and vine growing area.  Dairy farmers and graziers were prominent throughout the nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.  With the subdivision of large properties for hobby farms in the second half of the twentieth century, cattle and sheep grazing was scaled down.  There are now several well-known horse studs in the area.  Today suburban areas are developing close to the township.    

The school was conducted along the lines of a church school until 1874 when education became the responsibility of the state government. 

In 1887 the headmistress was Marian Caroline Kekwick, widow of William Kekwick second in command of early explorer John McDouall Stuart expedition from Adelaide to Darwin.

The school was eventually renamed the One Tree Hill Primary School after residents in Unley complained that their mail was being misdirected to Uley. 

Students from the closely located Precolumb and Lady Alice Mines were transferred to Uleybury when their schools closed.

As the school grew transportable classrooms and other structures were erected.  The school remained in use until 1971 being the oldest school building still in use at that time.

Restoration was undertaken in 1978 with funds obtained by the Munno Para Council from a State Government Grant.  The Museum was officially opened by Mr. Hedley James Lang who was headmaster at the school from 1942-1947 in May 1979.

In 1978/9 the committee of the Uleybury School Museum Society was formed to manage the school and residence. The vision was to establish the school as an educational museum and from the earliest days “school lessons” have been conducted to provide visitors with a taste of school life in years gone by.

The Museum is currently owned and administered by the City of Playford.  The Museum is National Trust and on the Register of National Estate.