The Herberton State School P-10 was established in 1882 to service the Herberton tin mining fields. The town 'boomed' in its early years and the school population grew accordingly. In 1912 Secondary Education was officially established in Queensland. In 1973 the school lost its Senior Secondary section to Atherton and we now cater for Prep to Year Ten. At the commencement of the 1994 school year the school was split into two separate campuses 2 km apart. Our Secondary Department draws on a large area of North Queensland for its enrolments. This group, who are mainly Aboriginal or Islander students, arrive with vastly different backgrounds. Many are away from their home Indigenous communities for the first time and are working in a very new environment. They reside at the local Uniting Church Hostel, Woodleigh College. The staff at the school are enthusiastic about their role. They promote learning as an important, enjoyable and essential part of the students' development. Because of the size of our school staff are able to provide a more personalized approach to their teaching, something the students and parents appreciate greatly.