History

The establishment of a secondary school in the Greenmount-Swan View area east of Governor Stirling Senior High School was originally raised in 1972.

At the time, Governor Stirling Senior High School maintained a consistent position of being a school amongst the highest enrolment figures throughout Western Australia. The increased residential development east of Midland supported the establishment of a secondary school and would relieve the overcrowding at Governor Stirling SHS.

The view that the development of a secondary school is necessary was also strongly supported by the wider community in the Greenmount-Swan View area. The Swan View Primary School Parents and Citizens Association established a Committee to work towards the early development of a secondary school.

In 1973, the Tonkin Labor Government announced the proposed development of a secondary school in Swan View with the first stage ready for students in 1975.

During this time, parents at Eastern Hills High School were advocating for the school to be upgraded to a senior high school as the population in the area was increasing.

In August 1974, the Court Liberal Government deferred the proposed development of Swan View High School citing the considerable increase in costs in building a new secondary school. Instead the Government opted for the upgrading of Eastern Hills High School with the introduction of Year 11 students at the school in 1975 followed by Year 12 in 1976. It was viewed at the time that this would ease the enrolment position at Governor Stirling SHS.

The Greenmount-Swan View community were disappointed by the decision of the Government particularly as the new school was proposed to open at Swan View in 1975. Moreover, they viewed the two schools as being different and therefore could not see the connection between the two proposals.

A Public Meeting was organised by the local community in the Greenmount Hall on 15 August 1974 to discuss the announcement by the Hon. Graham MacKinnon MLC, Minister for Education, and to plan a way forward. The meeting was well attended: Dr David Mossenson, Education Department; James Moiler MLA, Mundaring; Hon. Gordon Masters MLC, West Province; and John Skidmore MLA, Swan. Also present were approximately 80 interested parents and representatives from the following organisations: Eastern Hills District Parents and Citizens Council, Governor Stirling SHS Parents and Citizens Association, Greenmount Ratepayers Association, Parents and Citizens Association representatives from nearby schools, Shire of Mundaring, and the Swan Districts Parents and Citizens Council.

After a great deal of discussion, the meeting recommended that a delegation committee be formed, consisting of represented organisations, to further advocate for a secondary school at Swan View. The Swan View High School Deputation Committee was subsequently established; comprising the following members: James Moiler MLA, Mundaring; Hon. Gordan Masters MLC, West Province; Tom Broz, President – Shire of Mundaring; K Wylie, President – Governor Stirling SHS Parents and Citizens Association and Vice President – Swan District Council Parents and Citizens Association; Lee Struthers, President – Swan View Primary School Parents and Citizens Association; and Margaret Taylor, President – Eastern Hills District Council Parents and Citizens Association and President – Darlington Primary School Parents and Citizens Association.

Margaret Taylor was elected Chair of the Deputation Committee.

During the ensuing months the Committee organised regular meetings to discuss and plan ways to progress the development of a secondary school at Swan View. Evidence was continually gathered to assist in the preparation of a submission that would be presented to Minister MacKinnon MLC.

In October 1974, Minister MacKinnon MLC accepted an invitation to visit Governor Stirling SHS to examine the matter of overcrowding at the school. During his visit, the potential utilisation of classroom accommodation at Midland Technical School was raised as an option to relieve the overcrowding at school. It was suggested at the time that first year Swan View HS students could be commenced at Midland Technical School in 1975. This would allow for the first and second stage of the proposed Swan View HS to be built and opened in February 1976.

The Midland Technical School option was rejected by Minister MacKinnon based on the financial capacity of the State Government to build the school. In the opinion of the State Government it was more cost effective to extend Year 11 classes at Eastern Hills HS and defer the opening of the proposed Swan View HS.

In November 1974, Margaret Taylor resigned as Chair of the Deputation Committee due to family and other community commitments. She was succeeded by Lee Struthers. In March 1975, the organisation was renamed the Swan View High School Committee.

In November 1975, the Education Department announced plans to build a secondary school in Swan View for the commencement of the 1977 school year. The decision came after a disciplined and ongoing campaign by parents, community organisations, the Shire of Mundaring and the State School Teachers Union of Western Australia.

In preparing for the building of the proposed school in 1976, 140 students from the primary schools at Bellevue, Greenmount, Helena Valley, Koongamia and Swan View and students living east of the standard gauge railway who attended Midvale travelled by a special bus to Forrestfield High School. The school was selected due to its proximity and surplus accommodation.

These students became the nucleus of the future Swan View High School as the Year 8 and 9 cohort.

Swan View High School formally opened on 7 February 1977. There were 346 foundation students in Years 8 and 9 that enrolled in the school. This was more than the 328 students estimated by the Planning Branch of the Education Department of Western Australia. The contributory primary schools included: Bellevue, Greenmount, Helena Valley, Koongamia, and Swan View. Darlington and Glen Forest Primary Schools had the option in 1977 and in 1978 to attend either Swan View High School or Eastern Hills Senior High School.

Each student was placed in a School House (or Faction). The Houses were named after explorers who explored Western Australia. They included: Eyre (red), Forrest (green), Giles (yellow) and Grey (blue). In 1984, Grey was changed to Canning (blue).

The first Year 10 cohort at the school graduated in 1978. These students continued their education in Year 11 and 12 at either Eastern Hills Senior High School or Governor Stirling Senior High School.

In 1985, the school commenced the academic year as a senior high school. The school became Swan View Senior High School with the first Year 12 cohort graduating in 1986. A new emblem was developed for the school’s change in status to a senior high school and the motto Learning for Living became synonymous with the new direction.

The proposed site for the new secondary school was a former vineyard and chicken farm. Large yellow sand pads were constructed as part of the foundation work. Strong Easterly winds experienced at the foot of the Darling Scarp caused major problems stabilising the sand and developing playing fields.

The tender for the construction of the proposed school was awarded to GKW Construction Co. Stage One of the Program would cost $1.4 million and included: the Administration Block, Canteen, Commerce and Social Studies, Gymnasium, two Home Economics classrooms, Library, Manual Arts, and Maths and Science.

Stage Two of the Building Program was completed in February 1978. The buildings completed included: English Block, Performing Arts Theatre, and an extension of one room to the Home Economics Block.

The first two stages cost $2 235 758.00 which included equipment, furnishing, landscaping, a bore for reticulation and electrical equipment.

In 1985, extensions to the Administration building, Library, Manual Arts and Performing Arts Theatre were completed. They were officially opened on 18 October 1985 by Hon. Bob Pearce MLA, Minister for Education.

Stage Three was completed in 1988 and involved the Art Block and extensions to various parts of the school. There was an extension in the Science Block where a Science Staffroom was built together with an additional classroom. The Laboratory Preparation Room was extended into the former Science Staffroom. A ramp was constructed connecting the Administration Building to the Science Block. New toilets were built at the ground level of the Science Block. Two transportables were moved and the Common Room in the English Block became a classroom.

Swan View High School

Swan View Senior High School