Humpybong State School: A Name Older Than the Suburb It Serves
Long before Margate existed as a suburb, and decades before the Redcliffe Peninsula was divided into the communities locals recognise today, the name Humpybong was already in everyday use. It described a place, a moment in early settlement history, and eventually a school that would educate generations of peninsula families.
Humpybong State School, now firmly part of present-day Margate, carries a name that reaches back to the earliest years of European settlement and further still to Aboriginal language. For families already living nearby, and for those considering a move to the area, the school offers not just a primary education but a living connection to the peninsula’s past.
A Name With Deep Roots
The name Humpybong is derived from Aboriginal words recorded as ngumpin, later anglicised to “oopie-bong”. “Humpy” or “oompje” referred to shelter, while “bong” is presumed to mean vanished, together understood as “deserted shelters”.
The term referred to the buildings left behind by early European settlers when they relocated from the peninsula to a second settlement site along the Brisbane River.
While Redcliffe was always the official name of the peninsula, Humpybong was widely used by settlers and locals from the 1840s and remained common well into the 1930s. For many years, the names Redcliffe and Humpybong were used interchangeably.
In 1971, the Queensland Place Names Board formally approved the suburb names now in use, including Margate, Clontarf, Woody Point and Scarborough. By that time, the school had already ensured the name Humpybong would endure.
Properties for sale near Humpybong State School
| Address | Key features |
|---|---|
| 16 Ernest Street, Margate QLD 4019 | 3 bed, 1 bath, 2 car, 405 sqm |
| 38 Windsor Street, Margate QLD 4019 | 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, 663 sqm |
| 41 Robertson Avenue, Margate QLD 4019 | 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, 405 sqm |
| 11 Leonard Street, Margate QLD 4019 | 3 bed, 1 bath, 3 car, 405 sqm |
| 32 Homefield Street, Margate QLD 4019 | 3 bed, 1 bath, 2 car, 423 sqm |
| 347 Oxley Avenue, Margate QLD 4019 | 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, 405 sqm |
For families weighing up a move, schooling and housing often go hand in hand. Humpybong State School is situated in present-day Margate, and the suburb’s coastal lifestyle, established streets and access to peninsula amenities continue to attract families looking for a long-term base.
From Bark Shanty to Coastal Campus
Source: Picryl/Public Domain
Humpybong State School began in modest surroundings. The first provisional school opened on 1 February 1876 on land fronting what is now Duffield Road. It was housed in a small slab-and-shingle structure often described as a bark shanty, measuring just 10 feet by 12 feet.
Despite its size, enrolment was sufficient to establish schooling in the area. Twenty-seven pupils enrolled during the first year, with eighteen attending on opening day. Early staffing was short-term, however, and fluctuating population numbers meant the school closed temporarily in 1878.
Education in Humpybong did not disappear. It shifted location as the settlement evolved. In 1888, another provisional school opened closer to the township, near where the hospital grounds are now located. This iteration operated for two decades and provided continuity for local families as the peninsula gradually stabilised and grew.
A major turning point came in the early 20th century. On 29 March 1909, the current Humpybong School officially opened on its present site between Ernest and Mabel Streets in Margate. This marked the transition from provisional schooling to a permanent state school.
The new building, with wider verandahs and expanded classroom space, reflected growing confidence in the area’s future. From this point on, the school remained anchored to the site, expanding steadily as Margate developed into a defined coastal suburb.
Although the name Humpybong gradually disappeared from maps and postal addresses, it lived on through the school, preserving a direct link to the peninsula’s earliest chapter of settlement and education.
From Local Classrooms to Global Music History
Among Humpybong State School’s most notable former students are figures who would later become part of international music history as members of the BeeGees.
Colin Petersen, who went on to be the BeeGees’ drummer from 1966 to 1969, attended Humpybong State School from 1953 to 1958. A drum prodigy, he joined the school marching band at just six years old, long before his later success in film and music.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/Atco Records
The school also briefly educated Maurice and Robin Gibb, twin members of the Bee Gees. The twins were enrolled on 22 September 1958, shortly after arriving in Australia with their family from the United Kingdom. They only stayed for the last term of that year, before enrolling at Scarborough State School in 1959.
School records list their father, Hugh Gibb, as a photographer. Maurice and Robin attended Humpybong State School for the final term of 1958, while their siblings Barry and Lesley attended Our Lady of the Holy Cross School during the same period. The family later moved through other local addresses and schools before leaving the peninsula.
While their time at Humpybong was short, the connection forms part of a broader local story that links everyday schooling with an extraordinary global legacy.
Humpybong State School Today: Learning for the Future
Today, Humpybong State School continues a tradition of education that began in 1876, combining deep historical roots with contemporary teaching and learning practices. The school is an Independent Public School located on Ernest Street in Margate, providing co-educational learning for students from Prep to Year 6.
Current enrolment sits at approximately 720 students, reflecting the school’s role as a long-established and well-utilised primary school on the Redcliffe Peninsula. The school describes its purpose as providing quality education by raising expectations, reflecting on current practice and nurturing student development in a supportive environment.
A Mission Grounded in Values
The school motto, Pro Patria, meaning “For One’s Country”, reflects a long-standing emphasis on service, responsibility and contribution to the wider community.
At the heart of the school’s culture is a philosophy of inclusion. Humpybong State School places significant emphasis on creating a learning environment where students feel safe, supported and connected. This is guided through its Positive Behaviour for Learning framework, structured around the Four Cares: Care for Self, Care for Others, Care for Learning and Care for Property.
The school’s vision is framed as “a sea of learning for the future”, drawing on its coastal setting while emphasising preparation for life beyond the classroom, alongside academic growth and wellbeing.
Curriculum and Programs
Humpybong State School delivers the Australian Curriculum, supported by specialist teaching across key learning areas. Students are encouraged to set personal learning goals, particularly in literacy and numeracy, with progress discussed collaboratively between teachers, students and families.
In 2017, the school became one of approximately 1,400 schools worldwide to commit to the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning project. Through this approach, students focus on developing the Six Cs: Character, Citizenship, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Communication. Student voice, real-world connections, partnerships and the purposeful use of digital tools are used to deepen learning and engagement.
A Digital Technologies Learning Leader supports the integration of digital technologies across the curriculum, ensuring students are equipped with contemporary skills while teachers are supported to embed digital learning meaningfully.
School Culture and Support
Humpybong State School places a strong emphasis on wellbeing, engagement and belonging. Classroom and whole-school practices draw on strategies from the Berry Street Education Model, which focuses on five key elements: relationships, understanding the body, stamina, character and engagement.
The school takes pride in maintaining a strong sense of family. A shared ownership of student outcomes is encouraged through close collaboration between parents, students and staff. This partnership is embedded in everyday school operations and supported through information forums and 3-Way Reporting processes, which bring families and students into learning conversations.
Facilities and Community
Students at Humpybong State School have access to a range of facilities and services that support both learning and wellbeing. These include out-of-school-hours care, a library, canteen and uniform shop.
A wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities are offered throughout the year. Alongside traditional sporting and musical activities, students can participate in programs such as robotics, Arts initiatives and Wakakirri, supporting creativity, confidence and connection beyond the classroom.
Improving teaching practice is also a stated focus, with coaching, mentoring and professional development supporting staff to continually refine their pedagogy.
Why Families Choose Humpybong
For families already living in Margate, and for those considering a move to the suburb, Humpybong State School offers a combination that is increasingly hard to find. Its long history on the peninsula sits alongside a contemporary approach to teaching, strong wellbeing frameworks and a culture that values partnership with families.
The result is a primary school that reflects both the heritage of its community and the expectations of modern education, making it a considered choice for families seeking stability, inclusion and forward-looking learning in a coastal setting.
