Armidale Teachers' College
The Armidale Teachers' College is a heritage-listed former tertiary college at 122–132 Mossman Street, Armidale, Armidale Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Government Architect and built from 1928 to 1931 by the NSW Public Works Department. The property is owned by the Government of New South Wales, and currently managed by NSW Crown Lands pending a permanent manager. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 8 November 2006. History Prior to European occupation, the area was inhabited by the Nganaywanya, or Anaiwan, people. The Nganaywanya developed extensive trading networks with their neighbours, based on rich plant and animal resources. The area also provided a rich source of hard volcanic rock for tool making and ceremonial purposes. After the arrival of Europeans to the Armidale area, the Anaiwan people established a semi-permanent camp on Drummond's Hill. From here they established close ties to the large pastoral runs in the area. Armidale Gaol In July 1859 the Armidale gaol was proclaimed, in the following year a tender was called for the construction and the facility received its first prisoners in 1863. The gaol served the northern tablelands as the major prison until it was disestablished in 1920. The gaol was allowed to fall into disrepair until the mid-1920s when the Government examined the possibility of housing sexual offenders in the facilities. This led to panic amongst nearby landholders, many of whom sold their properties. Nothing became of the plan and the gaol was still disused in 1927 when the site for the new Teachers' College was selected. David H. Drummond, Minister for Education, was determined to remove all evidence of the gaol before the Teachers' College was constructed, wanting no association between the two, and on 10 February 1928 it was decided to demolish the building. The gaol was demolished in 1929 and the bricks were used in the foundations of the new College building, thus inadvertently retaining a physical association, despite Drummond's intentions. Armidale Teachers' College The political factors leading to the construction of the college illustrates the complex role of government and administration. The first steps in establishing a Teachers' College in Armidale commenced when David Drummond, then the Progressive Party's Member for the Northern Tablelands, arranged for a delegation to meet with the Minister of Public Instruction, to put forward a proposition concerning a University College in Armidale. The Government was resistant to the decentralisation of services and unwilling to spend money on a new teachers college. In October 1927, a NSW Coalition State Government was formed between the Nationalists and Country Party (formerly the Progressive Party) and David Drummond became Minister for Education on 18 October 1927. This partnership gave the Country Party enough power, for the first time, to spend money on country areas. Official approval for construction of an Armidale Teachers' College was given at a meeting of the NSW State Cabinet on 13 December 1927 and on 30 December the establishment of