The first school in Gascoyne Junction was opened by the Shire of Upper Gascoyne which employed one teacher who taught students in the Old Roads Board building in Scott Street. Shire records include an account of the arrival of one particular teacher who took one look at the Junction, decided outback education was not for him, and left immediately via the mail truck!
After much lobbying by the Shire and the Junction community, the Education Department of WA funded the new school building on the present site in Gregory Street which opened in 1965. It was then known as the Gascoyne Junction Primary School, with one classroom, one teacher and around 22 students.
The P&C built a bough shed to create a separate, cooler environment for learning until evaporative air-conditioning was installed around 1978. When a second teacher was employed the classroom became rather cramped and definitely ‘busy’. Shortly after student numbers had reached twenty five the verandah was enclosed in 1981 to create a second classroom.
The P&C then funded a separate transportable building to be used as a library, which was installed with volunteer labour in 1989. It is still used on site as a lunch room.
Student numbers declined significantly in the early 1990’s. When it became clear that there were only four projected enrolments, amid much community concern and disappointment, Gascoyne Junction Primary School was officially closed in December 1994.
The four remaining students continued to attend the premises, which operated under the auspices of Carnarvon School of the Air. Their lessons were set by the CSOTA teachers and supervised by a Teacher Aide. The Shire of Upper Gascoyne undertook to maintain the grounds and fund the utilities.
With the advent of the Woodgamia Community in about 1997 bringing more children to Gascoyne Junction, the ‘old school’ was re-incarnated as the Gascoyne Junction Education Centre. Carnarvon School of the Air continued as the educating body, but parents of students took over the facility’s maintenance.
In 2003 it became apparent that future enrolments would support a new WA Government School. Gascoyne Junction Remote Community School opened for business in January 2005, catering for the first time for Years K-12.
In over fifty five years of schooling in Gascoyne Junction, in various guises, employing many teachers, assistants and support staff, students have gone on to become:
