Warialda Central School War Memorial Library

The memorial is a set of timber bookshelves which formed part of the Warialda Central School Memorial Library. Warialda School was established as a Public School in July 1851 and became a Central School from January 1944 to December 1975.

After the Second World War the school’s P & C Association discussed a proposal for a war memorial at a meeting on 27 May 1946. The Headmaster, Mr Loy, proposed that this should be in the form of a library to establish a memorial worthy of the ex-students of the school whose memory it was intended to preserve, and provide the pupils with something of cultural value. It would be known as the Warialda Central War Memorial Library (Warialda Standard and Northern Districts’ Advertiser, 3 June 1946).

Together with a newly formed Management Committee, the Warialda community set out to raise the necessary funds of £150, with events held throughout the district over the course of the year. 

The official opening and unveiling of the War Memorial Library took place at Warialda Central School on Anzac Day, 25 April 1947. One bookcase is now located in the Museum of Education in Armidale.