Ms CLAYDON (Newcastle—Deputy Speaker) (16:44): I want to pay tribute to Carrington Public School, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. A special whole-of-school assembly took place on Friday during New South Wales Education Week. Attendees included some of the school's oldest living alumni, the two Joans—Joan McGoldrick and Joan Stewart—both aged 93, who started kindergarten together in 1935, and 92-year-old Audrey Milne. Another special guest was the former Carrington school principal from 1991 to 1996—and my predecessor in this place, the former member for Newcastle—Sharon Grierson, who is, in fact, back in Parliament House this week.
Carrington Public School opened on 16 September 1873 as Onebygamba Public School, which means mud crab place. It became Carrington Public School in 1889. In a traditionally working-class community adjacent to heavy industry and the working port of Newcastle, the school has always been the beating heart of Carrington's tightknit community, educating generations of Novocastrians. More than 20 per cent of students today are Aboriginal and 50 per cent come from low-socioeconomic families. Carrington Public School is providing quality public education to ensure all students get the best start in life.
To mark the anniversary, students, staff and guests were presented with a commemorative T-shirt designed by artist Kulka Fahey in collaboration with the students. Happy 150th anniversary.
