Early Local Development

In 1856 plans were under way to build a public school at Hillside under the Nelson Education Act of that year. Land was given for the purpose by the Mackay-Jollie Trust and the schoolroom was opened in January 1857. Originally the Suburban North Committee of Education controlled both the Clifton Terrace and Hillside schools and when a school was started at Happy Valley all were controlled by one representative committee. As Hillside was the most central place the committee meetings took place there.