Mount Morgan School of Arts

Mount Morgan School of Arts is a heritage-listed school of arts at 31 Morgan Street, Mount Morgan, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1924. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.HistoryThe School of Arts was opened in Mount Morgan in April 1924 and was the third School of Arts in the town, built following the demolition by fire of the previous building.The township of Mount Morgan grew with the establishment of what was to become the richest gold mine in the world. Although small mining claims occurred before 1882, the three Morgan Brothers pegged claims which encompassed most of the mountain top in that year. In July they formed a partnership with three Rockhampton businessmen before selling out to them in 1886 when the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Limited was formed. The township quickly developed, establishing infrastructure for the rapidly increasing population. The company continued until 1929 when a new company and continued to produce gold and copper until it closed in 1990.A School of Arts was built in Mount Morgan in 1889 and opened on 11 September 1891. It was destroyed by fire. A School of Arts Reserve was proclaimed in 1895 and a new building was constructed but was also razed by fire on 25 April 1923. A special meeting of the School of Arts Committee was held in the Commonwealth Bank on 26 April 1923 to discuss the erection of another building. The library of the School of Arts was re-opened in St Mary's Institute which was leased by the School of Arts Committee, with books imported from London by the Mount Morgan Mine Manager, Adam Alexander Boyd.