35 Johnston Street has stood as a centre for art, design and vocational education for over 140 years, most notably as Collingwood Technical School.

Exploring the history of the former Collingwood Technical School with interviews with past students, footage of the current site and historic photos, this film aims to chart the social history of the site and its place within the local community.

The site is now undergoing a transformation to become the Collingwood Arts Precinct - a new hub for artists and creative communities. Although changed, the spirit of Collingwood endures - with its connection to its industrial past still visible in the fabric of its communities and distinct architecture. The Collingwood Arts Precinct will continue this trend by linking the future of the site to the legacy and memories of its past.

Black and white photograph of the southeast view across Perry Street and the suburb of Collingwood, c.1886.

This image was taken on the site of the former Collingwood Technical School, between Johnston and Perry Streets, Collingwood. On the opposite side of Perry Street is a house with a lattice work porch and the two storey Janefield's dairy. Further down the street are several houses with wooden shingle roofs, one in very poor repair.

In Otter Street is St Joseph's Catholic church and on the corner of Wellington Street, is St George's Presbyterian church. In Wellington Street are the Wellington Hotel, Bryant's variety store, the Studley Arms Hotel and the Londonderry Hotel. Over the roof of the Studley Arms Hotel can be seen rows of identical houses, probably in Campbell Street. On the west side of Wellington Street, St Joseph's hall is under construction. In the distance is the Wesleyan Methodist church in Gipps Street.

Black and white photograph of the City of Collingwood Council Chambers and courthouse in 1887. The Collingwood Technical School was based in these buildings from 1912-1923.

The bluestone 'Police Court' was designed by state government Architect, Peter Kerr (1820 – 1912), and was built in 1853 at 35 Johnston Street. While it no longer exists, other notable buildings by Kerr that are prominent in Melbourne today include; Customs House, Government Post Office (GPO), and the Parliament of Victoria.

The East Collingwood Council was first elected in October 1855 and in 1860, the City of Collingwood Council Chambers, including the Town Clerk Office, were built next to the courthouse. Council opened a free public library in these rooms that was made available for readers in the evening. The Police Court Office was located at the back of the building.

In 1871, the Collingwood Artisans’ School of Design was established to teach technical drawing and operated after hours in the courthouse from 7.30pm - 9pm. After the new and imposing Collingwood Town Hall opened in May 1887, the council offices and court function moved to Hoddle Street, Collingwood. The Johnston Street facilities became home to the Working Men's Club until it became incorporated into the Collingwood Technical School, based in the buildings from 1912 - 1923.

This flyer is an advertisement from 1871 for the Collingwood Artisans’ School of Design, Johnston Street, Collingwood. Classes were held on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm to 9pm in the bluestone courthouse (1853) adjacent to the City of Collingwood Council Chambers.

For two shillings per quarter, technical drawing subjects on offer included Architecture, Practical Geometry, Landscape and Elementary Free Hand. Women were later admitted in 1879.

The renowned Australian Impressionist artist, Tom Roberts (1856-1931), began his formal artistic training at the Collingwood Artisans’ School of Design in 1871, attending until 1874, when he went to the Trades Hall School of Design, Carlton. He had moved to Collingwood from Dorchester, England, in 1869, with his widowed mother and two siblings. They lived nearby in Dight Street and he also worked locally as an assistant in Hewitt's Photographic Studios.

After the new and imposing Collingwood Town Hall opened in May 1887, the council offices and court function moved to Hoddle Street. The Johnston Street facilities became home to the Working Men's Club until it became incorporated into the Collingwood Technical School, based in the buildings from 1912 - 1923. To house the growing number of students, in 1924, a larger dedicated school building was constructed on site, facing Perry Street.

Collingwood Technical School Prospectus: 1913-1930. Presented to Matthew Richmond, first principal, on the occasion of his retirement, 6 June, 1930.

The firm of Du Rieu & Co., which operated from a shop at 9 Johnston Street, Collingwood, as the Magpie Press, did all the printing of the Collingwood Technical School from 1912-1972. The business closed in 1972, shortly before the death of its owner Mr Charles Du Rieu in 1973. On the occasion of the retirement of Matthew Richmond (1865-1941), first principal of Collingwood Technical School, Mr Du Rieu presented him with two bound copies of the school Prospectus from each year of his service: 1913-1930.

The prospectus for Collingwood Technical School outlines the courses available and lists staff and others associated with the school in each year. On 3 March, 1974, Mr Richmond’s two daughters, Miss Richmond and Miss Bell, presented the volumes to the Collingwood Technical College.

The Collingwood Technical School emblem was designed around 1914, probably by its first principal Matthew Richmond (1865-1941). It consists of a gear wheel and try square, a pair of calipers, an artist's palette and the monogram ‘CTS’.

The traditional Collingwood colours of black and white relate to the local Australian Rules Football Team Collingwood FC, which was established in 1892. These colours also stood for purity (white) and the darkness of ignorance (black). It was used throughout the history of the school including on school badges, stationery, uniforms and signage.

‘The badge of the Collingwood Technical School in the well-known black and white colours of Collingwood, symbolises some of the activities of the school. The surrounding gear wheel represents engineering, and the square is symbolical of the trades which employ this useful instrument. A pair of calipers shows that science forms a part of the curriculum, just as the palette stands for art.

Set in the white ground formed by the palette, the letters C.T.S. indicate a school whose activities are too many and varied to be represented completely by symbolic signs.

The school has no motto, preferring not to draw on the dead language of the past to express some aspiration which has to be translated into the words of the living present [1].’

[1] School Badges Have a Meaning, The Argus, Melbourne, 24 May 1934, p.8.

Almost immediately after the outbreak of the World War I (1914-1918), many servicemen returned to Australia either physically or mentally unfit to work. Collingwood Technical School expanded its educational program when the State War Council established a Returned Soldier's Training Scheme.

Noting the potential issues of rehabilitating returned servicemen who were disabled or suffering from shell shock, the Collingwood Technical School Council noted that few of the students would be 'normal', and any attempt to train them required the best educational skills available. Via the Soldier’s Employment Bureau, candidates were chosen for instruction in basic carpentry, including toy making and other forms of wood work. Tasks included wood turning and lathe skills for the construction of picket gates, and office and verandah chairs.

This photograph shows detailed plastering work completed by apprentices at the Collingwood Technical School at a session held over 1925 and 1926.

Learning how to create ornate cornices and architectural features was part of standard training in Solid Plastering during this period. Many trades were taught at the school including carpentry, plumbing, turning and fitting, bricklaying, plastering, electrical wiring and electrical mechanical engineering. The boot and shoe department was also popular with students and had strong ties to local industry in Collingwood.

Plastering classes were discontinued at the end of Term 2 in 1942, due to the lack of need during the duration of World War II (1939-1945). Over thirty years of instruction, there were only three dedicated part time evening instructors; Mr A. Grant (1913-1925), Mr C.W. Nichols (1926-1930), and Mr P.P. Dundon (1931-1942), the latter having been Nichols’ assistant from 1926-1930. The classes made a brief return in 1950 and were popular again by the 1980s.

The Melbourne suburbs of Collingwood and Fitzroy were central to footwear manufacture in Victoria from the 1860s to the mid twentieth century. The boot and shoe department became the largest at Collingwood Technical School.

Collingwood Technical School was strongly supported by local industry via significant donations of equipment and scholarship awards. It was advantageous for companies such as the British United Machinery Company of Australia to invest in the school and gain trained apprentices for immediate employment.

‘A picture taken yesterday morning at Collingwood Technical School shows Mr. H. Moore, of the British United Machinery Co., which has presented four machines for teaching boot manufacture to the school, demonstrating the latest model inseam trimming machine. Four hundred apprentices attend the classes held nightly at the school. On the left is standing the principal, Mr. A. Strang [1].’

[1] 'Gift of Machinery for Technical School', The Age, Melbourne, 13 June 1935, p.11.

The Coltech Centre Lathe was first patented in 1937 and was designed and manufactured at Collingwood Technical School.

As part of an Australian Federal and State Government program, in 1937 Collingwood Technical School received significant grants of £11,000 to participate in the Youth Employment Scheme. This considerable sum was a cash injection into practical training and was in response to the ongoing hardships and unemployment still experienced in the community from the Great Depression (1929 - 1932).

Collingwood Technical School set to task and developed the renowned Coltech Centre Lathe. Shortened from the school name, it was a 5.25” swing lathe designed at the school by teachers. It had over seventy components and because of this, it became a useful training exercise for students to put it together.

The ‘Coltech’ also found applications in ammunition manufacture for the duration of World War II (1939-1945). As part of the Defence program, the lathe was manufactured in substantial numbers with component parts being made at many technical Schools in Victoria. It was enlarged to 6” and twelve were used by the Ammunition Factory at Footscray, to ream dies for the making of bullet cartridge cases.

Design drawings for constructing the ‘Coltech’ were sent to the Central Drawing Office in Maribyrnong where it was also modified and drawings were supplied to other states and New Zealand [1].

[1] G. Eraclides, V. Achia, Book History of NMIT Version 7 – with Edits, Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT), Melbourne, 1 July 2015, pp. 40-41.

Black and white photograph of Collingwood Technical School Caretaker, Bert Eastman, with his dog. He is standing in the courtyard of his house, located on top of the school, c. 1941.

Bert Eastman was the live-in caretaker at Collingwood Technical College for more than 37 years from 1941, until his retirement in 1978. He also served in World War II. Bert and his wife Betty, raised their daughter Leonie, born in 1949, in a weatherboard house built on top of the fourth floor of the Johnston Street building. Seventy-six steps over two flights lead up to the front door and to a small courtyard.

Bert was responsible for the maintenance of the school buildings; opening and closing rooms and buildings at the beginning and end of each day, cleaning and overseeing other cleaners. Leonie [said that], ‘he had the biggest bunch of keys you could ever imagine, a key for every door in the school, but he knew what every key was for.’ He was on duty from early morning until 9pm each night, providing security, continuity and practical assistance to teachers, students and parents. At night he locked and chained the big double gates
on Johnston Street [1].’

In 1978, Bert and Betty moved to a new house in Diamond Creek, on the outskirts of Melbourne, and Bert's niece, Elaine Parson, was the Principal's/Director's Secretary from 1974 to 1988.

[1] Scott, I.D, COLTECH: a story of technical education in Collingwood, 1870-1987, Collingwood College of TAFE, Melbourne, November 1988, pp.158-159.

This news photograph shows electroplating teacher, Fred Beringer, with students, the day before his retirement from the Collingwood Technical School, 9 May, 1963. He taught at the school from 1938-1963.

Electroplating became a speciality trade at Collingwood Technical School from 1934. Head of Department, Fred Beringer, made a substantial contribution to the defence and instrumentation industries through his research and experimentation into hard chromium plating.

During the Second World War (1939-1945), success with this relatively new process drew the attention of the Munitions Laboratories in Maribyrnong, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the Department of Civil Aviation, NSW Railways and the New Zealand government. Under his direction, thousands of gauges used by the Australian Army were reconditioned by students and sent back into service. The Department of Civil Aviation issued Beringer a ‘Ground Engineer’s Licence’ and in 1948, the school was issued a Certificate of Approval to electroplate aircraft parts.

The accompanying article reads: ‘Mr Fred Beringer, who has taught electroplating at Collingwood Technical School for the past twenty-five years, will retire tomorrow after fifty years as a craftsman. Mr Beringer is showing Mario Glessig and Gregory Fox how to plate out impurities, at the school yesterday [1]’.

[1] 'Fifty Years A Craftsman', The Age, Melbourne, 9 May 1963.

Turawan was the Collingwood Technical School magazine. It began in 1960 and was produced several times a year.

Turawan contained articles from staff and students at Collingwood Technical School. It reported on school news, sports, excursions and activities and encouraged a strong connection between the school and industry via advertising services, apprenticeships and awards. In a 1960 edition, a full page spot states: ‘To stimulate ambition among trainees in the shoe industry, The The British United Shoe Machinery Company of Australia Proprietary Limited, deems it an honour to award the lead shoe-making apprentice each year, The "BUSMC Award of Merit'.

The Award has become a highly sought after prize and has been founded to reward the achievements of student Craftsmen. The British United Shoe Machinery Company, Directors and staff, congratulate the Collingwood Technical School on the completion of another successful year in the training of young men in the industry.’

The magazine was named after a dreamtime story drawn from the Cammeraygal tribe, the traditional owners of the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

"Long ago an eaglehawk, Mullion, had his nest in a large tree. The eaglehawk would swoop down from the tree, catch a person and fly off with him. This continued for years and the people couldn’t do anything about it because the tree was unbelievably large. In despair the tribe called together the wise men, Murriwunda and Koomba, to assist them. They decided that if they could climb the tree carrying a piece of burning wood with them, then they could set the nest on fire. They tried but failed – and then decided to enlist the help of their feathered friends the Turawan. The Turawan divided themselves into two groups; one carried firesticks in their beaks while the other fought an aerial battle with the Mullion. Thus the nest was burned and the tree destroyed. Who are the Turawan? They are the grey Magpies of Australia, and even today they will swoop down on their enemies and drive them off using their powerful wings and terrible beaks (Turawan, 1967)."

Black and white photograph of Lisa Howden, the first female plumbing apprentice student in Victoria, at Collingwood Technical College, 1978.

In 1978, Lisa Howden attended Collingwood Technical College, and was the first female plumbing apprentice in Victoria. She was influenced to follow her father George in the same trade, who had established the family business, GE Howden & Co, in 1957. Lisa, her brother Paul and sister Gina, along with their cousin Andrew, all became plumbers and worked at GE Howden & Co. After Paul and George both passed away, Andrew now runs the business with his wife Brenda and their son Corey in West Brunswick, Melbourne.

A surprising and significant feature on the former Collingwood Technical College building is the large two storey mural by New York street artist, Keith Haring (1958-1990).

In the 1980s, Haring was a cool and alternative rising star in the international art world and was invited to Australia in 1984 for the inaugural art project to launch the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA).

The location was chosen for its authenticity; Haring commented that "Collingwood has a great community feel about it. Though its supposed to be a poor area, its nothing like the poverty I have seen in New York [1]." Teachers and volunteer students wrangled a scissor lift to lay down the yellow background with paint brushes and rollers, and then Haring painted his characteristic red dynamic figures and computer brain caterpillar in one day. A small wooden door with his signature and an iconic 'crawling baby’ motif went missing from the site, soon after it was painted (anonymously returned to Arts Victoria in 2013). The work on Johnston Street is one of only 31 known remaining Haring murals in the world. The original paint used by the teachers was not of high quality and overtime, it faded away. In 2013, the mural was restored by conservators to its original vibrancy.

[1] Bellamy, L., 'Collingwood Tech’s Wall of Renown', The Melbourne Times, Melbourne, 14 March 1984, p. 3.

This photograph is drawn from an instructional manual produced at the Collingwood Campus, Northern Metropolitan College of TAFE, in 1989.

The image shows teacher, Ian Roberts, using a screwdriver to sound check the smooth running of bearings after re-assembling a pump, at the Collingwood Campus of TAFE. The manual is a fine example of desktop publishing from the time and consists of a plastic ring bound folder with paper pages in plastic sleeves.

Each page contains a pasted in photograph and computer printed instructions. This edition was available for student loan and its purpose was to show how to dismantle a pump, manufacture a new shaft to specifications using a small cylindrical grinder, and then re-assemble the spindle and vee belts so that all components operate smoothly. It was decommissioned from the Melbourne Polytechnic library service in 2017.