Cudgee Primary School (School No. 105; previously known as Brucknell Creek School 1862 – 1864; Brucknell Creek Common School 1864 – 1874; Cudgee State School 1874 – 1970; also known as Cudgee Creek State School 1874 - circa 1903)

Full description

Cudgee Primary School (School No. 105) (VA 3252) is a co-educational primary school situated in the Moyne Shire Southwest Victoria, approximately 10km east of Warrnambool.

Cudgee Primary School opened in 1862 as Brucknell Creek School, a Church of England school. The school name may have been changed to Cudgee Creek Common School when it was registered as a Common School with the Board of Education (VA 713) in 1864, however exact details and dates of name changes in the school's early history are unclear.

Following the introduction of the Education Act of 1872, which established the Victorian Education Department (VA 714), the school name was likely changed to Cudgee Creek State School in 1874.

A railway line was constructed through the school grounds in the late 1880s, resulting in the relocation of the school to a new site. A brick school building was completed on the new site in 1891. The name was simplified to Cudgee State School likely in 1903. An additional classroom was added in 1910, with a folding partition installed between the two rooms in the main building, and a teacher’s residence was constructed in 1928.

Student enrolments have varied over time. Enrolment was 57 students in 1930, increasing to 71 by the middle of 1932, before decreasing to 34 by 1942. Enrolment increased to 55 students during the 1950s. Additional rooms were added in 1965, and enrolment reached 86 students by the late 1960s. Enrolment was down to 37 in 1976.

In 1970, there was a statewide decision to broaden the use of the term ‘State School’ to include all government schools, rather than referring exclusively to primary-level schools. Subsequently, all primary schools began to use ‘Primary School’ in the name. Accordingly, the school name was changed to Cudgee Primary School around this time. 

Enrolment was 25 students in 1980. At that time, the school comprised two classrooms, a general-purpose room, an office, and a storeroom. In 1986, enrolment was 14 students.

In late 2009, part of the original building was damaged by fire. During 2010, the school operated from a portable classroom and a shipping container while awaiting replacement facilities and repairs. In June 2010, two replacement classrooms were installed on site.

Enrolment was 22 students in 2014 and 27 in 2024. As of 2026, the school remains in operation, and the brick building constructed in 1891 continues to be in use.