PRESENTED by Mildura & District Historical Society and compiled by Mildura Rural City Council Libraries.
100 YEARS AGO: 1924
STOCKING: The Hospital stocking donated by Mr R M Black and won by little Dinkie Sendy, was the means of bringing pleasure to a large number of the children of the town. The little girl said that if she won the stocking, she would like to send it to the children at Lock 9. This not being practical, Dinkie was allowed to give a party yesterday morning at 10.30am and distributed the contents of the stocking among her guests. The number and variety of toys in the stocking was surprising, motors, trains, tea-things, kitchenware and 40 bags of large sweets were made up from a huge container. More than 60 children attended and were all invited individually to choose their own gift with Christmas wishes from the small hostess.
CAR: Mr D Collins of Deakin Avenue is the Mildura and district agent for the renowned Hupmobile motorcar and delivery of the latest models has been made to several purchasers in the last few weeks. The 1925 model Hupmobile is the very last word in motorcar construction and customers will be afforded the opportunity of inspecting cars now being used. They also have an extensive repair plant with competent workmen in charge and owners may depend on having their work faithfully attended to.
GREETING: Cheap greetings by cable from Australia to England must be lodged at the telegraph office from noon today. The charges are 7 1/2 pence per word with a minimum of 6 shillings and threepence for ten words. On Boxing Day and New Years’ Day the Post Office will be open between 9am and 10pm but no money orders or bank transactions will be offered. On Saturday an innovation will be introduced when the office will be open from 9am till 11am. For the first time on this holiday Saturday, money orders and savings bank business will be transacted between these hours.
75 YEARS AGO: 1949
COACH: The latest developments in Motor Coach design are incorporated in the new Murray Valley Coaches bus which stopped in Mildura en route from Adelaide to Sydney, there are three like it. The next three will run between Canberra and Albury and in 12 months three will be used between Mildura and Swan Hill. The reason for the delay on the Mildura-Swan Hill buses is that to be registered in Victoria they must have twin rear axles. The chassis which are imported from England have only one rear axle. Equipped with a Gardner diesel engine, each complete chassis is imported, and the body and fittings are added by J Lawton and Sons in Adelaide.
FOOD: Today and tomorrow morning Mildura housewives face a task of getting in sufficient food stocks to cover the four-day Christmas break during which, most stores will be closed. Provided in today’s paper is a list of stores and their opening times for customers to cut out for a record of what is open over Christmas. Mildura is expected to have a record shopping day today when residents and the usual Friday shoppers buy last minute presents and supplies for the long Christmas weekend.
MEMORIAL: Residents of Irymple are expected to turn out in force tomorrow to join a working bee to plant lawns at the newly established Irymple War Memorial Park. The combined meeting of the Irymple Bowling Club and the Irymple Progress Club requested all members of sporting bodies and interested residents of Irymple to attend and help with the work, mainly the planting of extensive lawns around the swimming pool and between the pool and the bowling green.
50 YEARS AGO: 1974
DARWIN: At least 15 Sunraysia people are among the thousands of Darwin residents affected by Cyclone Tracy’s devastation. Anxious relatives and friends have so far had no news from Darwin, however a check using Australia wide press services supplying Sunraysia Daily showed that all on our list appear to be safe. At least 49 people died, and hundreds were injured. Government officials are still looking through the rubble, officials estimate that 30,000 people will be homeless, all telephone and telegram links with Darwin are cut.
CLOTHING: Mayor of Mildura, Councillor L Beasy said that the Salvation Army had begun a national urgency appeal for good quality light-weight clothing for adults, children and babies. He asked that Sunraysia people wrap up their gifts and tied or cartoned and clearly marked “Darwin Appeal” and take them to the Salvation Army Citadel in Madden Avenue. District rotary clubs have also organised a Darwin Rotary Disaster Fund.
PLANTS: Holly is a symbol of Christmas. In ancient England the Druids noted that it was the one bush which remained green when all other bushes lost their leaves. They believed it was a symbol of the continuing of life. Rosemary is now seldom found except in our herb gardens and is not only grown for its aromatic odour and culinary uses but it has a deep significance at Christmas. There is an age-old legend that when Joseph took Mary and the infant Jesus on the flight to Egypt Mary washed the napkins of her baby and set them to dry on a Rosemary bush and from that moment on Rosemary was given its delicate fragrance.
25 YEARS AGO: 1999
SCOUTS: Members of the Rotary Club of South Mildura have visibly demonstrated their support for the Sunraysia District Scout Association as club members have worked to construct a new amenities block at the Nichols Point Scout Activity Centre, replacing the “very basic” facilities previously existing at the hall, it will include showers and toilets.
MAPLES: Six women who worked together at Maples department store in the 1960s have had lunch together every Christmas and when anyone celebrates a birthday. Saturday saw the group celebrate their Christmas lunch with roses and a cake for Vi Brown’s birthday with the other Maples girls, Miriam Gray, Mary Dorman, Pam Shaw, Maureen Russell and Jan Murnane.
TREVATT: Arriving in 1887 with four small children, Charles Trevatt built the first house in Mildura which was situated on “The Crescent”. Mr Trevatt was the first irrigation “blocky” in Victoria, a member of the first Shire Council, the first president of the Mildura Football Club and the first secretary of the Anglican Church. Mrs Trevatt was also one of the first women to settle in Mildura. Their daughter Avis was the first child born here in 1889. The “Trevatt” apricot was propagated by Mr Trevatt who died in Mildura aged 91 in 1935.
