Early Memories from the first Punari 1963 (school magazine)
Chatswood High has greatly changed since its first years. It has been converted from eleven acres of bush with an old house, which once belonged to the well-known Hordern family, situated in Centennial Avenue, to a modern high school which is still being improved. This year’s Fifth Year (1963) are the first pupils of this school although the school had ‘imported’ pupils who sat the Leaving Certificate last year.
The first day of school was Enrolment Day (1959) and mothers and children assembled in one of the rooms to be addressed by the Headmaster, Mr Brereton. When this speech was ended we were allowed to go home. Next day was truly school, although a few pupils and I spent nearly all day waiting in the building to be assigned a class. After one or two weeks of unsettled teaching we learned who our teachers were to be and work became more settled. However, this was not to go uninterrupted. The only classrooms in the school were in the wing above the canteen (and one room in the old house was used as a music room in which were (sic) a piano and garden seats arranged in rows). Despite the soundproofing of these rooms the constant noise of workmen was disturbing. Workmen were using motor-saw, (sic), cutting down huge trees from every part of the school property and soon the asphalt play area was under construction. Power drills and saws could be heard above the teachers’ voices; bulldozers and cranes.
Soon the two blocks of buildings were to be commenced and large cranes were lifting up heavy slabs of concrete, a good entertainment for all of us – teachers and even more so the pupils. On the completion of the buildings the old house was demolished to the cheers of all the pupils. The teachers had a job trying to stop us looking out the windows while this was going on, however, they were usually successful.
The Administration Block was then built and Mr Brereton had, once again to move his office. This time from what is now the staffroom between the science laboratories and the canteen.
We were still playing on the asphalt quadrangle but with another year or two at school the construction boards were set up for the main quadrangle and soon, it too, was completed.
During the third year (1961) the renewal of power saws could be heard – the oval and playing fields were being prepared and are still being completed (1963). As well, an assembly hall remains to be built.
It is hard now to remember these make-shift beginnings, now that there are so many classrooms and so many pupils. Certainly no other year of pupils has commenced high school under such difficult conditions. Fifth Year, 1963, however, is proud to have been associated with the school throughout the first five years of Chatswood High School’s life as a school.
Barry Miller Fifth Year 1963
2020-2023 Redevelopment
Chatswood High School underwent major renovations that commenced in 2020, led by Architectus and built by Richard Crookes Constructions. These updates included:
- New and refurbished teaching spaces
- Increased quality active play space
- Specialised teaching facilities such as maths, science and art rooms
- Dedicated performing arts spaces and music rooms
- New sports facilities and recreational areas
- New library and administration facilities
- New hall
- Maker spaces
