Henry Howard Payne was an early pioneer in The Gap district. The road named after him was called Payne Road, and was a main thoroughfare during the early days of the suburb's development. The Payne home was called 'Walton' and this name was given to the historic Walton Bridge, which was constructed in 1900.

(Reference: L. Jenkins, BRISbites, 2000. www.ourbrisbane.com)

PAYNE ROAD STATE SCHOOL OPENED IN 1970
Information from “Payne Road State School Silver Jubilee – A Perspective 1970-1995.” (Fran Morrison and Julie Dickinson) p 5 – 7
NEW SCHOOL FOR BI-CENTENNIAL
The Gap South State School opened for business on Monday 26 January 1970, 200 years after Cook landed on our shores.
82 pupils, from grades 1 – 7 shared the historic day with four teachers, the new Principal Clive Cook, and an assortment of builders and tradesmen who were still struggling to get the school ready for occupancy.
FIRST DAY BLUES
Clive Cook recalls: “When I arrived, I found that someone had very effectively spread the rumour that the new school was to be for grades 1 and 2 only. I quickly printed notices to go in shop windows to the effect that one could be well educated here in grades 3,4,5,6 and 7 too! The great opening day came without a message or cheer from the Queen…you see there was no telephone. Nor was there any roof between the Administration block and the classrooms. You wouldn’t believe how many days it rained that February. Rather than run the risk of dashing to the toilets in the rain, many of the younger children decided to stay marooned in their classrooms and had accidents!”
NAME CHANGE:
After a request from the Principal, the Department authorised the name of the school be changed to Payne Road State School. Mr Cook then hand painted the change on the sign himself.
WALLABIES IN THE CLASSROOM:
Well almost! 1970 Grade 3 pupil, Wendy Rolls (nee Earle) remembers:
“When the quadrangle was built, we thought this was huge and immensely high…like a fortress. We were confined to this quite often when there were groups of wallabies on the oval. We were also told that the area near a plover’s nest was out of bounds until the chicks had flown. As a school we were furious when the nest was vandalised by the philistines from across the creek…grade 8 boys.”
SCHOOL BADGE A WORK OF ART:
How did the Payne Road School badge come to be a part of the Warana fence painting competition?
Marg Chapman recalls:
“Our esteemed Principal, entered the staff in the Warana fence painting competition without our consent. I guess he realised he’d never have gained that, had he asked. I must admit though, that he did seem genuinely surprised that we were not totally delighted with the idea!”
GRAND OPENING:
The school was officially opened on 7 November 1970 by the Hon Max Hodges, MLA, Minister for Works and Housing.
The celebration was attended by a host of dignitaries, many in the community and all of the 108 pupils.
The highlight of the day was the Tinickling dance. It involved the girls dancing in and out as long bamboo poles were clapped around their feet, a deft, and if you slip, painful dance which went off without a hitch.
PLAYGROUND A REAL ADVENTURE:
There were tunnels, a suspension bridge and an obstacle course that would slow down many a soldier. The playground was designed by Clive Cook and Edwin Earle (first P&C President), and constructed with volunteer (i.e. fathers’) labour, from the builders’ leftovers, scrounged concrete pipes and poles.

80 AT P&C MEETING:
During 1970, there were regularly 70 or 80 people at the P&C meetings…is this a record for a school of barely 60 families?
The P&C funded an 850 book library, a radiogram, PA system, piano, sports equipment and the adventure playground during that first year.
UNIFORM CHOSEN:
It took three long meetings to choose a style and fabric for the school uniform. First Auxiliary President, Barbara Midwood recalls:
“When we picked the blue and white check, with the brown line through it, it was quite an unusual fabric, and it would suit both the girls’ dresses and for boys’ shirts worn with brown shorts and shoes.
There was also a winter uniform for girls, consisting of a navy pinafore with a dropped waist and inverted pleats. It was worn with a white blouse and a lovely little French schoolgirl’s hat. It looked very smart.”
IN THE BEGINNING:
Apart from the Principal, four teachers arrived to begin teaching duties on the first day. Kay McCarthy was the Grade 1 teacher, Margaret Chapman Grade2, Rod Lanham Grade 3/4/5 and Rod Roemermann was to teach Grade 6/7. As soon as the Education Department got wind of the lower than expected numbers, Rod Roemermann was whisked away to Oakleigh State School. Mr Cook took over as the Grade 6/7 teacher.
Mr Cook reported: “The children had never before had a teacher who was forever disappearing to enrol new pupils, to show delivery people where to put the new furniture and books (which eventually arrived) and to confer with building supervisors. They grew used to it and developed self-reliance and I believe they subsequently made normal progress at High School after all.”
TUCKSHOP OPENS:
The P&C decided early that food was a good fundraiser. The enterprising Marion Golding didn’t let a little thing like no facilities stand in her way.
“In the days before hot bread shops, only stale bread was available for Monday lunches. So we decided to open a Monday lunch bar. Golden Circle gave us a drinks van with push out sides, and lunch orders were made up by a few mothers in our kitchen at home at 208 Payne Road, and then sold from the van.”

OPENING YEAR 1970:
Principal: Clive Cook
P&C President: Edwin Earle
Auxiliary President: Barbara Midwood
Enrolments: 88 (In 1971, enrolments were 173. Enrolments briefly exceded 500 in 1978)

1970 AUSTRALIAN NEWSMAKERS:
QUIT VIETNAM!
More than 200 000 people turned out at a massive anti-war National Protest Day on 8 May calling for Australia to get out of Vietnam.
THAT’S NINE!!
The world’s only known nontuplets were born in Sydney on 13 June 1971. The mother had been taking fertility drugs. Sadly, all nine babies died.
WESTGATE BRIDGE COLLAPSES, 35 KILLED
Thirty-five workers were killed in the nation’s worst construction accident when a section of the Westgate Bridge collapsed into the Yarra River in Melbourne.
THE FEMALE EUNUCH
Feminist author Germaine Greer launched her first book ‘The Female Eunuch’ on 19 December 1970. As one critic said, the book is “guaranteed to offend just about everybody”, although it is tame by today’s standards!
COOK BICENTENNIAL
It was 200 years since the day that Captain Cook set foot on the land that became Australia. 500 000 people turned out at Botany Bay to re-create the historic event, watched by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne.
POSTAL PREMIERE
The first padded postbags were released for sale on 26 October.
SNOOKER CENTURY
Horace Lindrum became the first snooker player in the world to score 1000 snooker centuries.
QUOTE OF THE YEAR:
“We care about water pollution, it just isn’t as important as a $100 million factory.” (Sir Henry Bolte, Victorian Premier)
PRINCE LEONARD SECEDES
A West Australian wheat farmer broke away from the Commonwealth, after arguments over quotas, and declared his farm an independent province. The 7500 hectare property became known as Hutt River Province, and went on to issue its own currency and stamps.
WILLIAM DOBELL DIES
One of the nation’s most famous artists, Sir William Dobell, died at the age on 70. He was best known for his portraits of well known figures such as Helena Rubinstein and Dame Mary Gilmour.
TENNIS ACE
Margaret Court became only the second woman ever, to win the Grand Slam-victory in the Australian, French and US Open, as well as Wimbledon, in the one year.
76 DAYS AROUND AUSTRALIA
Adventurer Hans Tholstrup became the first man to endure 76 days in a small runabout to circumnavigate Australia, the first to do so, in such a small craft.
CHINA VISITS
Labor leader, Gough Whitlam, lead an ALP delegation to the Peoples’ Republic of China. The Australian table tennis team also toured mainland China.
SHARE RECORD
Posiedon nickel shares reach an all time high of $280 a share, heralding the beginning of the mining boom.
THE JUMBOS ARE COMING!
In October the first Boeing 747 arrived in Australia. Regular flights began out of Sydney the following year.
HIT SONGS
“Let It Be” Beatles
“Two Little Boys” Rolf Harris
“A Boy Name Sue” Johnny Cash
“Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha” Cliff Richard
AND ALSO…
Baghdad Note won the Melbourne Cup.
John Gorton was Prime Minister.
Harry Williams became the first Aborigine to play soccer for Australia.
Radford Report on education recommends the abolition of external exams.
Queensland Opera Company began.
10 208 people in gaol in Australia.
In 1970/71 England regains the Ashes with a 2-0 victory. England players “walk-off” the Sydney Cricket Ground.

MORE HISTORY ON PAYNE ROAD STATE SCHOOL
The information below is from “Payne Road State School: A Short History of the School 1970 – 1980”
The Payne Road State School commenced on 26 January 1970, as The Gap South State School. Later in the year the name was changed to its present name. The Hon A M Hodges (MLA), Minister for Works and Housing, on 7 November 1970, officially opened the school. The first Principal to be appointed was Mr Clive Cook. Enrolments initially were below expectations with the result that the initial staff of five was reduced to four. This was increased as enrolments improved. It was not until 1974, however, that at least one class in each level occurred. The classification, as a result of increased enrolments, changed in this year from Class III to Class II, thus necessitating a change in Principalship.
Mr E Kohnke replaced Mr Cook as from the commencement of 1974…

In 1977 two Pre-school units were added, each being staffed with a teacher and teacher aide. These units necessitated the removal of two residences in 1976. Hon J Greenwood (MLA), Member for Surrey, officially opened the pre-school on 5 November 1976.
Two additional blocks of land were resumed to increase the school boundaries in 1976 – one of which is occupied by the Activity Hall. The Hon W D Lickiss (MLA), Minister for Justice and Attorney General on 1 April 1978, officially opened the Hall.
Over the years, playground has been provided, a ground beautification scheme implemented including planting of trees and shrubs. The motif of planting has, since 1974, been limited to Australian natives.
SPECIAL EVENTS, 1970 – 1980
26 January 1970 – First day of school.
7 November 1970 – Official opening by A M Hodges (MLA)
1971 Cricket pitch provided by The Gap Apex Club
Adventure Play Area constructed (cost - $100)
Goal Posts (provided by The Gap Pastime Club)
Basket Ball posts (provided by The Gap State High School)
Radiogram – Gift from The Gap Lions Club
First Fancy Dress Ball – Methodist Hall
1972 (January) Completion of A Block – first team rooms
1973 Tennis Court construction
Inter communication system provided
Electric Kiln installed
New Block (one team room)
1974 The ’74 floods in February forced school closure for four days.
1975 Centenary Celebrations and Tree Planting (S.G.A.P. tree planting)
November – Demountable erected.
Block C extended and occupied (2 team rooms – one single unit and withdrawal room)
Houses removed for Pre-school
Instrumental teachers appointed
1976 (March) Visit by Regional Director, Mr Hooper
1977 D Block occupied – one team room
(August) First unit of pre-school opened
(November) Pre-school officially opened by Hon J Greenwood (MLA)
Two block of ground acquired (Mr Cooper; Mr Matthews)
1978 Second pre-school unit opened
Activity Hall erected and occupied (cost $40 000 – PCA and Subsidy)
(April) Activity Hall officially opened by Hon W Lickiss (MLA)
1980 Covered Way linking Blocks B & C constructed

IN CASE MEMORIES FADE
1. The original land was Best’s dairy farm. The original house occupied by the Bests is 85 Payne Road.
2. A house occupied by Mr and Mrs Herricane was removed. D Block is built on this site.
3. The two houses removed for Messrs Bopp and Keyes owned the pre-school.
4. BCC trucks from Manson’s Pickle Factory at no cost delivered the granite boulders.
5. Mr and Mrs B Cooper initiated the fernery fronting the Administration Block at the school’s foundation.
6. The (original) Adventure Playground was designed and built by Messrs Cook and Cooper.
7. The good officers of Mrs Herricane saved the large gum tree below the present library from removal.
8. The smaller gum tree below the library was a commemoration tree planted at the school’s opening.
9. Three Buckinghamias on the Pre-school were planted by Mr J Greenwood (MLA), Mr J Andrews (Alderman) and Mr M Wills (PCA President).
10. Centenary Plantings in 1978 were planned and trees supplied by SGAP (Society of Growing Australian Plants). Local representative, Mrs Ford.
11. The document states a windmill was obtained by Mr Clive Cook and placed at the top of the school drive way, to better identify the school entrance.