In November 1960, two year 8 classes at the Beaudesert State School sat for the annual year 8 public scholarship examination.
Many of the students had been together since the start of prep or year 1.
Many continued on at the high top (then situated at Beaudesert State School) to do years 9 and 10 and then onto the new high school to do years 11 and 12 before further studies or employment and the start of an adult life.
Over the years there have been various state school activities, fetes and reunions where the former students met up again.
On her return to live in Beaudesert, Denise Martin (Greenwood) contacted several others from her era for a reunion and in 2010, the 50th anniversary of Scholarship was held at the primary school.
Quite a few of the group had or were nearing retirement, some had caravans and suggested that they could meet yearly at a nearby caravan park within about a 2-hour drive from Beaudesert.
It wasn’t to be a single day get together but one that lasted for days or a week or for however long.
The Melbourne Cup week has been a popular choice for our reunion, with a flutter on the race, a sweep amongst ourselves and our chicken, salad roll for lunch. Morning tea starts from about 10 am with a break for maybe a ‘nanny nap’ before happy hour gets underway about 4 pm till mealtime if you want it after nibbling all day.
There always seem to be plenty of homemade cake, biscuits, snacks, dips etc available all day long.
Visitors are welcome any and every day and we all get together one night for an evening meal at a local club, restaurant or hotel.
Over time there have been up to 35 past pupils and partners at these events. The 2022 reunion was at the Golden Beach Caravan Park on the Sunshine Coast.
Numbers were low in 2022 with Covid restrictions lifted, some were away caravanning and as we all get older, caravanning is not a proposition we all can take, so cabins are a popular now.
