IT'S been nearly 50 years since some last pulled on their black and yellow uniforms, but for past students of Glennie Heights State School it feels like only yesterday.

More than 60 past students, parents and staff travelled from near and far to celebrate the school's 55-year history on Saturday.

Among them was Lisa Cooper, who flew all the way from the US to be reunited with her school friends.

"We had a lot of freedom, fun and responsibility," she said.

"We didn't have gardeners in those days, so we had to do the gardening ourselves.

"There were sand burrs on the oval - I remember having emu parades to dig them all out."

Mrs Cooper, who attended the school from 1967 to 1973, said her favourite memories were of sport.

"The school was small enough that you could be on every team for every sport," she said.

"We would come to school early so we could play beforehand and often stayed back and played in the afternoons."

Glenn Hobbs started at Glennie Heights in 1962, finishing up as school captain in 1968.

He remembers the school when it was just one building.

"It's amazing the growth of the school. Behind the original building used to be all bush," he said.

Saturday's historical gathering was 18 months in the planning for Jenny Brackin, who was one of the original Year One students in 1961.

"Some of my favourite memories are having our warm milk each morning and sport," she said.

"We made life-long friends here.

"All this schoolyard used to grow apricot trees and was owned by the Gillam family."