fort street high school (fshs) is a government-funded co-educational academically selective secondary day school, located in petersham, an inner western suburb of sydney, new south wales, australia. established in 1849, it is the oldest government high school in australia, notably the first school not founded by a religious organisation. today, it remains a public school operated by the new south wales department of education. as an academically selective secondary school, it draws students from across greater metropolitan sydney.