Merrimac State School was opened in 1917. The original one teacher school was set in a rural environment where students rode their horses to and from school. The school has grown significantly since 1917 and now features a range of buildings and facilities with the original horse paddock now housing a large multipurpose centre. The key environmental features of the first school continue to be cherished with a nature trail and major emphasis on a range of plants, trees and native flora and fauna.