Kumbia State School had its biggest roll-up ever on Saturday when more than a thousand students, ex-students and their families packed into the grounds for the school’s centenary celebrations.
Copies of the commemorative book were quickly sold out.
Visitors – which included Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss – wandered through the grounds and classrooms, inspecting memorabilia and running into long-lost friends.
Speaking at the official ceremony, Mr Truss noted that it took him almost two hours to walk from the gate to the formal area because so many people wanted to stop and swap memories.
He told an assembly of today’s students that many things had changed.
He recalled that when he attended the school there were just three rooms and that getting in a car and travelling to Haly Creek or Mannuem to play sport was a real adventure.
“The world has changed dramatically and you will be part of even bigger change,” he said.
Compere for the day was Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington who managed to entice the Deputy PM into leading the “war cry” for his former school house, Russell.
A highlight of the official ceremony was a performance on fifes and drums of old favourites by a collection of former students.
Mr Truss then officially unveiled the centenary plaque and helped lower a time capsule into the ground.
The official centenary tree, a Moreton Bay fig, was planted by South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann and councillor Ros Heit.
After a big day of celebrations at the school grounds, the Kumbia Hall Committee was kept busy in the evening preparing a two-course meal in the Memorial Hall for the many people who came to town for the celebrations.
More than 230 people booked in for the dinner.
As well as dinner, they enjoyed live music from local performers.