Minns Labor Government breathes new life into one of Sydney’s oldest surviving rural schools

The Minns Labor Government has completed a major $800,000 restoration of one of Sydney's longest-surviving rural school buildings, returning the historic, State heritage listed Upper Castlereagh Public School to its former glory for future generations.

After being decommissioned in 1975, the building fell into disrepair, subject to vandalism and vermin damage.

The restoration works have returned the school to a condition worthy of its heritage status, including:

• Replacing termite damaged roof rafters, windowpanes and iron sheeting;
• Installing new gutters, a meter box, electrical wiring and lighting;
• Painting, cleaning and re-pointing brickwork; and
• Cleaning and sealing the concrete floor.

Built north of Penrith in 1878-79, more than a decade after the Public Schools Act of 1866 helped open the doors of education to communities across NSW, Upper Castlereagh Public School stands as a rare and remarkable piece of living history.

It sits within a historic precinct alongside the oldest surviving Wesleyan Methodist church buildings in Australia, together forming a cultural landscape that tells the story of the religious, educational, and social foundations of the early Castlereagh region.

For nearly 100 years, this single room, one teacher school was the beating heart of education for children across the Upper Castlereagh farming district, shaping generations of families and laying the groundwork for Western Sydney's civic identity.

Designed by the celebrated architect George Allen Mansfield, whose portfolio includes the Prince Alfred Hospital and Pitt Street Uniting Church, the rectangular, one room Gothic Revival Hall is an architectural gem.

Its brick walls, sharply pitched iron roof, decorative spires, and distinctive Tudor arched entranceway are quintessential features of the Victorian era.

The school also embodies a pivotal moment in NSW history: the late 19th century transition from church run schooling to a publicly funded education system.

When the school opened in 1878-79, it formally took over education responsibilities from the local Wesleyan church, a defining shift in how NSW communities were built.

The Office of Strategic Lands will now explore leasing opportunities for the property and identify long-term future uses for the asset.

Member for Penrith Karen McKeown said:

"This single room school was the primary centre of education in the Upper Castlereagh community for nearly 100 years and is part of an invaluable historic precinct alongside Australia's oldest surviving Wesleyan Methodist church and Castlereagh Hall.

"I'm thrilled the Minns Labor Government has restored Upper Castlereagh Public School, giving our community a wonderful window into how early rural communities evolved in 1800s Australia and ensuring this irreplaceable piece of our shared history endures for generations to come."

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

"The Minns Labor Government is committed to protecting the heritage that defines our communities and the restoration of Upper Castlereagh Public School is a perfect example of that commitment in action.

"This school is an invaluable surviving testament to NSW's proud tradition of public education and the pioneering spirit of Western Sydney's early rural communities. We're proud to have brought it back to life."