Chelona State School

The institution is located on the left bank of Sandy Creek within the Parish of Chelona. Chelona State School commenced operations on 23 January 1893, with an initial enrollment of twenty-nine students on its opening day. Mr. O'Brien served as the inaugural Head Teacher and resided in a designated area of the school’s verandah. Records from 1898 indicate that the school was closed for a total of 33 days that year due to various circumstances, including flooding, cyclones, agricultural activities, influenza, and a measles outbreak. The Principal noted that "...from June to December, cane crushing significantly reduced attendance, as many students were either engaged in the cane fields or their families required assistance at home during this period." Over the years, Chelona School has undergone numerous enhancements to its facilities. In 1937, a residence for the Principal was built, the traditional thunderbox toilets were replaced with a septic toilet block, verandahs were enclosed to create an additional classroom, an extension was added for a computer room, and in 1988, the rise in student numbers led to the construction of a modular classroom for Prep/Year 1.