Old King's School, Parramatta, Heritage school building near Parramatta River, Australia
Old King's School is a complex spanning multiple heritage buildings along O'Connell Street, featuring two-story structures in distinctive colonial style and riverside gardens. The site now houses Bayanami Public School while preserving several original 19th-century structures.
The school was founded in 1831 by order of King William IV and operated as Australia's first independent school before moving to North Parramatta in 1964. This relocation ended over 130 years of educational history at the original location.
The buildings show early Australian school design through formal classrooms, dormitories, and a chapel finished in 1889. They reflect the English educational traditions that settlers brought to the colony.
The buildings can be viewed from O'Connell Street near Parramatta River and are accessible for external viewing. Since the site operates as an active school, check access beforehand or visit during public tour days to explore the grounds properly.
The grounds contain Aboriginal heritage elements including scarred trees and indigenous plantings from when it was part of the Government Farm. This connection to earlier land uses reveals a deeper history layered beneath the school's story.
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