To spot the Fortitude Valley State School, look for a pair of stately brick buildings with a distinct Gothic flair-think tall, pointed windows and red, steeply pitched roofs-nestled amongst trees right on the south side of Brookes Street, with a neat garden hedging up to the footpath.
Welcome to a piece of Brisbane’s living history! Take a moment to imagine yourself standing here back in 1867. The ground beneath your feet rumbles now with city traffic, but once it echoed with the footsteps and laughter of hundreds of schoolchildren-some probably running late, just like me most mornings. Before this corner was filled with the neat hedges, painted bricks, and that beautiful basilica-like roofline, Fortitude Valley was still taking shape. The valley’s very name came with a story-a boatload of determined settlers sailing into Brisbane on the good ship “Fortitude.” When promised land grants fell through, these bold folks packed up from York’s Hollow and settled here, helping to spark a whole new community.
By the early 1860s, the valley had over 1,300 people. That’s a lot of kids needing schooling, so the first Fortitude Valley State School started out humbly, in a rented old hall. The students crammed in-hopefully not literally like sardines-until the population grew too large for makeshift classrooms. That’s when the government tapped an architect named Benjamin Backhouse, who had just finished panning for gold-but his real fortune was in bricks and mortar. He designed a two-storey red brick masterpiece in 1867, known as the Girls and Infants School. Next door, by 1874, another architect, Richard George Suter, came along to add a matching single-storey Boys School, each fashioned in what’s called the Gothic Revival style. That’s why you’ll notice those pointed windows and sturdy shapes-schools in the 19th century liked to look a bit like small cathedrals, giving everyday lessons a touch of grandeur.
Now imagine walking into those big rooms, filled with the whir of dozens of voices-and just as quickly, the hush when a teacher entered. Backhouse and Suter followed the popular Lancastrian teaching system, which in practice meant lots of students and very few teachers. They cleverly divided space for monitors and so-called “pupil teachers”-older kids entrusted with keeping the younger ones in line. The sound of chalk on slate must have been constant here, and those galleried windows above let the light pour in for busy school days.
As the decades moved on, these red-brick halls saw thousands learn their letters, add their sums, and-let’s be honest-probably get scolded for swapping lunches. The school changed with the times. More rooms and features were added as new educational theories came and went. By 1913, there was a major extension to help keep up with the growing valley.
Now, let me add a twist: while most of the original details stood strong-the timber staircases, the king-post trusses holding up those grand rooflines, and quirky things like a row of old hat hooks-this site played many roles. It even served as a State Emergency Services headquarters for a while, and you can imagine the echo of running boots and urgent voices replacing the laughter of students. But, in 2013, something a bit sad happened-the school closed its doors due to shrinking student numbers, despite a heartfelt campaign by local parents and kids. Talk about a cliffhanger ending!
But those doors didn’t stay shut for long. In 2020, they creaked open again as the Fortitude Valley State Secondary College arrived, using the old Girls and Infants School as their music block, and building new, towering classrooms on the original playgrounds. Heritage lives on-even the roof tiles seem to hum with all those stories.
So, next time you walk by these solid walls, remember: you’re standing in a spot shaped by the dreams (and maybe daydreams) of over a century’s worth of kids and craftspeople. From shipped-in settlers to singing students, Fortitude Valley State School is a living chapter in Brisbane’s adventure book, waiting for you to turn the page. Shall we keep exploring? Adventure-and a few more thrilling tales-await just down the street!
