History of our school

DELIVERING EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION SINCE 1964    

Why was Mitchell High School built?

In 1962 the three schools in the Blacktown-Seven Hills District, Blacktown Girls High School, Blacktown Boys High School, and Seven Hills High School, became more and more crowded. It became obvious that a new school was needed, and on 3 June 1962 Mr Mannix, the Minister of Education, approved the establishment of a high school in the southern area of Blacktown.

The site of the present Mitchell High School was chosen because it was close ta rapidly developing area. In 1963 the site chosen, approximately 6.3 hectares, was purchased from George Whimpey and Son and the contract for the construction of Stages 1 and 2 was given to Joseph Zarb for the tender of 332,850. Stage 1 involved the construction of Blocks A, B and C. The construction of D Block was Stage 1.

As the buildings were not completed at the beginning of the 1964 school year, the six classes of Year 7 students and staff moved into an unoccupied school on Hereward Highway, just off Blacktown Road. As only four classes could occupy that school, one boy’s and one girl’s class were housed at Blacktown Boys High School and Blacktown Girls High School. At the end of the first term of 1964, Block A and C and the canteen were completed. The population of the school moved into these blocks.

In 1966 the demountable classrooms were introduced and proved invaluable in meeting emergency accommodation needs.

Stages 1 and 2 were eventually completed on the 10 June 1964 after long delays in getting structural steel. Stage 3, the building of E Block, was contracted in 1965 for a tender of 90,738 and was completed on the 4 February 1966.

The final stage in the construction of Mitchell High School did not come until many years after the school had been established.

In 1971, the parents of students and staff decided that the school needed an assembly hall. The tender of $416,096 made by W. McNamara Pty. Ltd. Was accepted and the MHS Hall was eventually completed on 23 December 1975.

Several alterations were made to the original plans:

• 1965 a needle-work room was converted into a metal work room.
• 1967 a Biology laboratory was converted into a general Science laboratory.
• 1967 a Prefect room and study room were converted to classrooms because of crowding.

MHS sport houses

The MHS sport house emblems were chosen by the first Principal of Mitchell High School, Mr Doyle. He believed the four sport houses should represent Aboriginal terminology, as Blacktown was originally an Aboriginal settlement. 

Brigalow - Aboriginal word for wattle

Cooramyn - Aboriginal word for flame tree 

Kareela - Aboriginal word for southerly wind     

Mirrabooka - Aboriginal word for five stars representing the Southern Cross

What’s in the Mitchell High School name?

Mitchell High School owes its name to Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (1792-1855). Mitchell himself had a long and varied career which stretched from his birthplace in Scotland, to service in The Peninsular War (1811-1815), and finally his career brought him to Australia where, in 1827, he took up the position of Assistant Surveyor General of N.S.W.  Promotion came quickly, so it is not surprising that we find Mitchell taking the position as Surveyor of roads and bridges in 1829.

Curiosity prompted Mitchell to explore New South Wales, Victoria and parts of tropical Australia and in so doing he opened up vast expanses of land that made way for new settlement. These discoveries were recorded in "Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia" (1838), journal of an expedition into the Interior of tropical Australia; and "The School Geography'' (1850) which was designed to be used in schools.

Besides his survey work, Mitchell is important for fostering an interest in things particulary Australian, (he liked to retain Aboriginal place names) and for his belief that land should be made available to small settlers and not monopolised by large landowners or squatters.

Together with these attributes, Mitchell was also a draftsman, an able artist, mathematician, inventor and botanist.

Why was Mitchell High name given? 

• Mitchell surveyed the area
• The electorate you live in is Mitchell
• Mitchell himself was elected to the Legislative Council in 1844
• The parent/carer(s) of students suggested the name.

History of Mitchell High School

Mr Doyle, the first Principal, and Miss Flint, who was the soon to become Mistress in Charge of Girls, went to visit the site of their new school.

Both Miss Flint and Mr Doyle had originally came from Arthur Phillip High School. Their first visions of the school were of steel girders, cans of pain and bricks. The surrounding area of the site of South Blacktown High School was at that time, populated very sparsely with only a few houses scattered around. The site had originally been used for dairy purposes consequently cattle wandered into the school ground to graze for a long while after the school had been built.

The contract for the building of the school was given to Mr Joseph Zarb on 30 August 1963. Apart from the construction of the school, Joseph Zarb donated the school crest which is inlaid in the floor of the original Administration Office Block foyer. He also donated many items to the school. For example, a set of football jerseys.

As the building were not completed at the beginning of the 1964 school year, the six classes of Year 7 students and staff moved into an unoccupied school on Hereward Highway, just off Blacktown Road. As only four classes could occupy that school, one boy’s and one girl’s class were housed at Blacktown Boys High School and Blacktown Girls High School. At the end of the first term of 1964, Block A and C and the canteen were completed. The population of the school moved into these blocks.

The official opening of the new school was for parents of the pupils to examine the special room. For example, cooking, woodwork and metal rooms.

In 1966 the demountable classrooms were introduced and proved invaluable in meeting emergency accommodation needs.

Mitchell High School Song

Mirrabooka, Cooramyn, Brigalow, Kareela.

Settlers come over the sea,

To build new homes on this far shore.

Clear’d the land for flocks and herds

Where Dharug hearts are the core.

Thomas Mitchell whose name we bear,

Surveyed  over the mountain ridges,

Found the way to fertile plains,

Drew the plans for roads and bridges.

With Courage, Fortitude and Truth,

Learning together in unity,

To build a better world,

Living together in harmony.

Mirrabooka the Southern Cross shines above,

Kareela the South Wind gently blows,

Cooramyn’s red trees flame in the bush,

Brigalow’s golden wattle brightly glows.

 ^{Written and composed by the Music Staff 1964 (Revised 2024)}