Toolamba close to Sam’s heart

By Georgia Tacey

Apr 12, 2024

Photos of Sam Birrell with his childhood photos from his time at Toolamba Primary School. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Many students have called Toolamba Primary School their home over the years, and many have gone on to do great things.

By Georgia Tacey

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Some have travelled far and wide, while others chose to stay closer to home, like former student Sam Birrell MP, Federal Member for Nicholls.

Sam attended the school from 1980-83, from Prep to Year 3 three, before moving to Shepparton.

Looking back, he said he had many good memories from his years at the school.

“When I was at Toolamba Primary School, it wasn’t in its current location; it was out on the Mooroopna Murchison Rd near the railway,” he said.

“I remember I used to get the bus from near Murchison each morning driven by a local dairy farmer, Alan Clement.

“The bus picked up various kids, and even to this day, I still remember which kid lived in which house.”

Reflecting on his years at the school, he still keeps in touch with many people he went to school with.

“There are still people I know and I am friends with from when I attended Toolamba Primary School,” he said.

“One of my friends from Toolamba, his name is Ben Pogue, he’s now a very successful photographer in New York, and I’ve visited Ben a couple of times and he’d catch up with me when he came back.

“It’s amazing to think what he’s done and achieved since running around Toolamba Primary School.”

There were many highlights from his time at Toolamba, like when a Commonwealth Games athlete paid the school a special visit.

“I remember after the 1982 Commonwealth Games, we got visited by a local guy, Mike Scandolera, who still lives in town and I know very well as an adult now,” he said.

“He came to show us his bronze medal from the Commonwealth Games, and we, as kids, thought that was incredibly exciting.”

As the Federal Member for Nicholls, Sam stays involved in the Toolamba community, even though he is now based in Shepparton.

“They [Toolamba Primary School] have a grade five and six camp to Canberra, and when the kids came to Parliament House, I got to chat with them, and we reflected on my time at Toolamba Primary School,” he said.

“We worked out that I’ve been at Toolamba Primary School with some of their parents.”

As part of the 150-year celebrations, Sam will also be emceeing the night, and can’t wait to see everyone reunited for this momentous occasion.

“It was a really special place for me,” he said.

“And it’ll go on being a special place for a lot of other kids.

“These small country schools are a really iconic part of regional Australia, and Toolamba Primary School is a great example of that.”