▁to ▁have ▁other ▁structures ▁and ▁landscape ▁elements , ▁including ▁an ▁extension ▁designed ▁by ▁architect s ▁Robert ▁and ▁John ▁Fer g us on ▁( 1 8 8 8 ). ▁The ▁school ▁has ▁been ▁in ▁continuous ▁operation ▁since ▁establishment ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁focus ▁for ▁the ▁local ▁community ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁important ▁social ▁and ▁cultural ▁activity . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁European ▁settlement , ▁the ▁P ine ▁R ivers ▁area ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁cl ans ▁belonging ▁to ▁the ▁T urr bal , ▁K abi ▁and ▁W aka ▁language ▁groups . ▁Con v ict ▁tim ber ▁get ters ▁were ▁recorded ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 2 0 s , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁past oral ▁runs ▁were ▁established ▁on ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁P ine ▁River . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁Tom ▁Pet rie ▁established ▁a ▁ ▁run , ▁known ▁as ▁M urr um ba , ▁which ▁extended ▁to ▁S idel ing ▁Creek ▁in ▁the ▁west , ▁Red cl iffe ▁Point ▁in ▁the ▁east , ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁P ine ▁and ▁North ▁P ine ▁rivers ▁in ▁the ▁south . ▁Pet rie ▁was ▁also ▁involved ▁in ▁tim ber ▁getting , ▁util ising ▁the ▁ra ft ing ▁ground ▁at ▁S ween ey ' s ▁Reserve , ▁south - east ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁state ▁school ▁site . ▁ ▁Cl oser ▁settlement ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁comm enced ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁with ▁the ▁sale ▁by ▁selection ▁of ▁port ions ▁in ▁the ▁"