…a request was made for gates to be put into the fence to allow children from the school to enter the adjacent cow paddock to retrieve balls…

In the recent Arthurs Creek Primary School History, it seems a matter of perspective as to whether there are problems to be associated with ‘cows amongst kids’ or ‘kids amongst cows’.

During the years of the Second World War following complaints about cows getting through the fence into the school ground, Merv Draper, assisted by Dick Allen, erected a replacement post and wire fence at his expense using yellow box posts obtained from the Bluff above the Arthurs Creek at ‘Charnwood’. Half the timber from the old post and rail fence was claimed by the school for fire wood.

This fence lasted over 50 years until a new fence was put up in 2001. At this time a request was made for gates to be put into the fence to allow children from the school to enter the adjacent cow paddock to retrieve balls. As the risk of having children amongst cows had been given ample attention over many years and was well recognised by most, the request was denied.