100 years ago
BIG LIZZIE: A singular sight in the way of mechanical transport is to be seen at Red Cliffs at the present time. The giant tractor, Big Lizzie, with two trucks in tow, is loaded up and waiting for better weather conditions to permit travel to the Kulkyne area. On the second truck are two portable engines used at the second lift at the Red Cliffs watering, which are now being replaced with the electrical pumping set. These comparatively large boilers on their present elevation for quite a spectacle of public interest in the township of Red Cliffs.
FIG YIELD: Mr C H Lischeld of Irymple is a strong believer in profitable sidelines. Mr Lischeld has packed 2.5 tons of dried Adriatic figs as the yield from 62 trees. The beauty of it is, he says, that the trees take up no room in the orchard; they are planted along two headlands. He also packs some very pretty muscatel clusters as a specialty. Time is employed in handling these side-lines, and there are losses through waste, etc., but they pay, says Mr Lischeld.
TRAIN STOP: The Red Cliffs Progress Association has been enquiring as to the possibility of the steam-trains on the Mildura suburban run stopping at the motorhalt or Stopping-place, two miles north of Red Cliffs. It has been informed that the suggestion has been considered, and that if the co-operation of the travelling public is given to the railways department, the trains may stop at this point. Travellers wishing to alight at Stopping-place would be required to journey by the Mallee car on the steam-train, as the Mallee car is the only one that has low steps.
75 years ago
STATION SALE: Probably the last chapter in the story of the famous Arumpo Station (NSW) will be written next Wednesday when the station’s plant, building and effects come under the auctioneer’s hammer. Situated 62 miles to the north east of Mildura, the station has been whittled down over the years and now consists of the homestead and out-houses only. It was originally one of the largest pastoral holdings in the extensive Darling River district. The expanse of the original Arumpo Station can be assessed by examining the huge amount of machinery and equipment which is to be put up for sale.
SETTLER DIES: Mr Alexander (Sandy) Anderson Duncan, an original Red Cliffs settler, died yesterday in Tasma Hospital, Red Cliffs, aged 57. Mr Duncan came to Red Cliffs in 1921 after serving with the original 6th Battalion in Egypt, Mesoptamia and France and later as a member of the administrative staff in London. For a time, he was Red Cliffs postmaster and stationmaster before taking up Block 224. Mr Duncan leaves a widow and six children.
BARREL FIRM: The coopers’ factory being established at Merbein will probably be in production in about three weeks. This was stated yesterday by the secretary of Mildura District Development League (Mr W Roach), who has been in communication with Stickley and McKay, the firm which is promoting the new industry. It was not yet known how many men would be employed, but there would probably be three or four, he said. Besides meeting local barrel requirements, the factory will find a market in South Australia. It has also been stated that the firm has been promised a contract for manufacture of exports casks by Mildura Winery.
50 years ago
RIVERFRONT: The first stage of Mildura’s riverfront scheme will be finished before next summer. Work being carried out by City Council employees includes construction of a wharf-side car park and improvements to the river access road – the lower end of Madden Avenue. Trees and shrubs will be planted around the area. The car park will have space for 80 cars and three buses, and good lighting.
CHANNELS CLEARED: Contractors have almost completed the job of clearing about 160 miles of channel in the Wargan and Millewa districts. They are using a large “ditching” machine to clear channels of weeds, sand and other rubbish before the annual winter water pumping. Water is pumped to farms throughout the Millewa once a year to replenish stock and domestic supplies. Much of the water supply system has now been converted to pipeline and so the miles of channels to be cleared has shrunk over the past few years. There was once 400 miles of channel but this has now been shortened to 160. The clearing machine is pulled by two bulldozers, and can clear an average of 14 miles of channel a day.
WRESTLER CONTROVERSY: Abdullah the Butcher, unbeaten in all matches in Australia so far, took only 45 seconds in the ring and two minutes outside the ring to beat Peter Skapidis from Greece at the Mildura stadium. Abdullah, from Sudan, is suspended from wrestling in South Africa, United States and Germany. In 12 years of wrestling, he’s been fined over $14,000 for his tactics. Last night, he attacked his opponent from behind before the pair had a chance to make the ring. Abdullah battered his opponent against the stadium wall and then hauled him into the ring. Without being introduced to the crowd, Abdullah took 45 seconds in which time he executed three throat chops and the referee counted three and the bout was over.
25 years ago
POST OFFICE: The Deakin Avenue Post Office will close its doors on a century of service on July 3, when operations will move to a brand-new postal centre at 8th Street and Orange Avenue. Up until closing time at 5pm, the Deakin Avenue Post building will be a fully functional post office, but when the lights are switched off for the final time, the end of an era will have been reached. The weekend will be devoted to the relocation of delivery and mail processing equipment, ready for the launch of the new centre bright and early Monday morning.
BEETLE RELEASED: A special bug was released yesterday in the first stage of a campaign to rid Sunraysia of the noxious weed; boneseed or Bitou bush. The Bitou tortoise beetle has been introduced as a biological control measure for the weed that chokes most plants in its path. Catchment management officer, Deb Lang released about 1000 beetles on boneseed plants in a channel reserve in Cardross. The beetles from South Africa, have been reared by the Keith Turnbull Research Institute at Frankston.
AIRPORT NUMBERS: A higher than expected growth rate in passenger numbers at the Mildura Airport was excellent news and a positive sign for the whole municipality, Councillor Peter Byrne said yesterday. Numbers continue to increase at a higher rate than forecast in the Mildura Airport masterplan. The planning horizon adopted for the Masterplan was the 20 years up to 2007, and traffic had been forecast to increase 5 to 10 per cent. However, numbers had risen by 12 per cent in 1994, 10 per cent in 1995, 19 per cent in 1996 and 12 per cent in 1997.
