[2][3] Designed by Robert Ferguson and built in 1883 by George William and Edwin Negus, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 28 November 2014.

[1][6][7] Albert State School was one of these, founded two years after the completion of the North Coast railway line, which bolstered the town's status as a regional center.

It has been in continuous operation since its establishment and has long served as a focal point for the local community, hosting important social and cultural activities.

From the 1860s until the 1960s, Queensland school buildings were predominantly timber-framed, an easy and cost-effective approach that also enabled the government to provide facilities in remote areas.

Standard designs were continually refined in response to changing needs and educational philosophy and Queensland school buildings were particularly innovative in climate control, lighting, and ventilation.

The designs remained single-skin to eliminate "receptacles for germs and vermin" but were lined externally rather than internally to address the previous weathering problem.

Notably, Ferguson's buildings were decoratively-treated with a variety of elaborate timber work and were heralded by educationalists as "far superior in design, material and workmanship to any we have before built".

It emphasised the high academic achievement of its graduates and its superior and extensive educational equipment, the excellent sanitary facilities, and the beautiful grounds with camphor laurel and fig trees.

[27] During the event, the mayor at the time, Mr. George Stupart, visited the school and addressed the pupils, emphasizing the significance of Arbor Day and the importance of tree planting.

The provision of outdoor play space was a result of an early and continued commitment to play-based education and schools were built on spacious grounds to facilitate this.

[1][29] A war memorial was built at the front of Albert State School and was unveiled by the Mayor of Maryborough, George Holbut, on 14 December 1917.

[30][31] It was a tall sandstone obelisk to commemorate past pupils killed during World War I, which was still ongoing at that time, and was built from donations by relatives and friends of the dead servicemen.

[1] Over time, the Ferguson teaching building at Albert State School was altered to meet contemporary educational demands, particularly for improved lighting and ventilation.

Achieving an ideal or even adequate level of natural light in classrooms, without glare, was of critical importance to educationalists and consequently it became central to the design and layout of all school buildings.

In 1926 the Ferguson teaching building at Albert State School was raised on tall brick piers and the ground underneath was concreted to create a large, understorey play space.

The tablet was prominently mounted centrally at the front of the Ferguson teaching building and was a memorial to the late George James, head teacher of the school for 24 years.

To modernise and brighten the classrooms, in 1954 the interior walls were lined with sheet material and a flat ceiling was installed concealing the roof trusses.

New materials, technologies, educational philosophies, government policies, architectural styles, and functional requirements influenced the evolution of standard designs and the predominance of highset, timber-framed buildings decreased.

[1][38] After a long period of relative inactivity, changes began to occur at Albert State School that reflected the push to modernise.

Through a gradual acquisition of land across Zante Street (including a closed section of the road itself), the school grounds totalled 2.9 hectares (7.2 acres) by 2014.

[1] Albert State School comprises a substantial teaching building and war memorial standing on spacious grounds with mature trees on a corner site in Maryborough.

Within the garden, a sandstone obelisk bears four leaded marble tablets listing 43 past pupils who died in World War I.

Each of the three wings of the U-shaped building, formed around a parade ground, has wide verandahs running lengthways on both sides with attached teachers' rooms.

The place retains an excellent, representative example of a standard government-designed school building that was an architectural response to prevailing government educational philosophies.

[1] The substantial, timber-framed teaching building designed by architect, Robert Ferguson is highly-intact, which is rare, and is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of this type.

It retains: a symmetrical, U-shaped plan form of large classrooms surrounded by generous verandahs with projecting teacher's rooms; high-quality timber decorative detailing; and effective natural lighting and ventilation features.

The school is a landmark with the substantial Ferguson teaching building prominently sited in generous, landscaped grounds with large shade trees.

The war memorial at the front entrance of the school, comprising a large sandstone obelisk, paths, garden beds and a tall flagstaff, has symbolic meaning and remains the focal point for annual remembrance ceremonies.

They typically retain a significant and enduring connection with former pupils, parents, and teachers; provide a venue for social interaction and volunteer work; and are a source of pride, symbolising local progress and aspirations.