Julia Creek State School was opened on 30 August 1911 by Julia Cahill, and by the end of the year there were 9 pupils enrolled. The first elected committee, which had five members, held its first school committee meeting on September the 18th of the same year.
As a consequence of low enrolment, the school was closed from 8 November 1911 to 15 April 1912.
A new school was built that measured 6.5 metres x 5 metres, and it was completed in late December, 1922. The old building was used as a school residence, consisting of one room and a kitchen. A play shed was added in 1929.
It was anticipated that enrolment would be about 105 students at the beginning of 1931, and a new room was added in 1932. Another of the same size, together with a veranda on the west side, was added in 1934. The school was painted for the first time in 1938.
A secondary department with an enrolment of 15 students began on 29 January 1963. A temporary classroom was established in the shire hall and a temporary manual-training room was constructed under the school. In 1963 a building was constructed to house the secondary department.
In 1969 the school was raised, restumped and concreted underneath. In the same year a new classroom was added to the secondary department and a library was added to the primary section. A further classroom was added to the secondary department in 1969.
A separate Early Education Centre was constructed in 1980. In 1983 the two rooms on the eastern side of the primary wing used for the library were removed into one large room, with part of the veranda being enclosed for use as a workroom. The courtyard development between the primary and secondary wings took place in 1984/1985 at the instigation of and organization by the Principal of the time Mr Frank Rocket. At the end of 1985, the entire school was fully air conditioned.