Brinsley Road Community School
Brinsley Road Community School was a state-run high school (years 7–12) in the suburb of Camberwell, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The school was established in February 1973 under the umbrella of Camberwell High School with the support of Camberwell High School's progressive principal Margaret Essex. The school was formally referred to by the Education Department as the "Camberwell High Annex".
Brinsley Road Community School
- Name
- Brinsley Road Community School
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Brinsley Road Community School was a state-run high school (years 7–12) in the suburb of Camberwell, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The school was established in February 1973 under the umbrella of Camberwell High School with the support of Camberwell High School's progressive principal Margaret Essex. The school was formally referred to by the Education Department as the "Camberwell High Annex".
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Brinsley Road Community School. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- unresolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Brinsley Road Community School • Established — 1973 • Grades — 7–12 • Illustration — Argo Street School students and staff, circa 1975
School philosophy and history
School philosophy and history
The concept for the school was developed by Roy Irvine, its initial coordinator, who convinced Mr Schrum, then Director of Secondary Schools in Victoria, of the need for the alternative form of education that the school would offer. The school started with 100 students from forms 1 to 6 (years 7 to 12), many of whom with talents and aspirations that had little chance of being developed in conventional more structured state high schools of the time. The school occupied a rambling old mansion that was previously used as a children's hostel by the Salvation Army. The mansion was originally owned by the Baillieu family. The school buildings have now been demolished. The site and grounds now form the Brinsley Nature Reserve. The school, also referred to as an "open school", aimed to provide opportunities for students to become both experience-oriented and knowledge-oriented. After several relocations, the original school concept is still operating as the Caulfield Park Community School. The school was located at: • Brinsley Road from 1973 to 1974 • Argo Street South Yarra during 1975 • Fitzroy Street St Kilda, from 2nd term 1976, in the hall of the St Kilda Uniting Church, later including the house attached to the church on Princes St. • Balaclava Road Caulfield up to 2007 The school provided educational programs in arts, sciences, mathematics, and media. It also had programs for vocational courses such as welding and woodwork.
Principals
Principals
(Irvine, Smith, Schapper and Tasker were titled 'School Co-ordinators') • Roy Irvine, 1973–1974 (Brinsley Road) • John White, 1975 (Argo Street) • David Schapper, 1976 (St Kilda Alternative School) • Alan Tasker, 1977 (St Kilda Alternative School) • David Roycroft, 2007 (Caulfield Park Community School)
Notable teachers
Notable teachers
• Rod Moss, Artist
Notable alumni
Notable alumni
• Dr. Catriona Moore, feminist art scholar • Polly Borland, photographer • Richard Lowenstein, film director • Ray Argall, filmmaker • Lisa Gerrard, singer/composer
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 27 September 2026.
Elsewhere in General
22,760 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- BrigittenauPlace
- BrignolesPlace
- BrillPlace
- BrilonPlace
- BriouzePlace
- BrisbanePlace
- Brisbane Girls Grammar SchoolOrganisation
- Brisbane State High SchoolOrganisation
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with Brinsley Road Community School?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.