School Houses
DRYSDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL
School Houses
Dan Dan Nook:
Dan Dan Nook was a remarkable Indigenous athlete renowned for his exceptional performances at the Highland Gatherings during the mid to late 1800s. His athletic prowess earned him numerous victories in various competitions, capturing the admiration of both spectators and peers. In recognition of his extraordinary achievements, the Comunn na Feinne society commissioned a special medal to be struck and presented to him. Today, the name Dan Dan Nook stands as a lasting tribute, honouring all outstanding athletes who follow in his footsteps.
McLeod:
McLeod is the earliest recorded name given to Drysdale by Anglo-European settlers. Today, the name lives on through McLeod’s Reserve, located nearby to Drysdale Primary School. This reserve not only serves as the home ground for the Drysdale Football and Netball Club but also hosts the school’s monthly Community Market. The name McLeod honours the area’s first European settlers and remains an enduring connection between Drysdale’s past and the vibrant school community at its heart.
Bengalat:
Bengalat is the name of the local Wadawurrung clan and the Traditional Owners of the land on which our school stands. The name Bengalat honours the enduring connection of the Wadawurrung people to this Country and recognises the Bengalat clan’s custodianship of these lands for tens of thousands of years.
Davis:
Henry Stanley Davis was a student at Drysdale Primary School in the early 1900s and went on to become one of the first ANZACs. He served with distinction during the First World War, showing remarkable courage on the battlefields of Gallipoli and later in France. For his bravery under fire, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre, a prestigious French military honour. Tragically, Davis was killed in action in France in 1917. His legacy lives on at the school, where the name Davis is proudly used to honour not only his sacrifice but also the service and spirit of all Drysdale’s ANZACs.