Presented by Mildura & District Historical Society and compiled by Mildura Rural City Council Libraries.
100 YEARS AGO: 1924
GIDDY UP: The Mildura Racing Club has made a commendable move in improving the course. A running-rail has been completed right around the track, and this, in the opinion of man racegoers will fill a long-felt want. The track is to be harrowed immediately, while the ground is in good condition for working, and it is anticipated that the going will be excellent for the next meeting. In addition to other improvements, the club is erecting a cloakroom for the ladies, and it is hoped that when the work now in hand is completed, the course will be one of the best-equipped in the North-West.
DIRTY WORK: Work has now begun in the construction of the platform and storage bins at the coal siding belong to the S R and W S Commission, north of the Red Cliffs Railway Station. Some of the steel supports to the platform are already in position, and an idea of the completed siding can now be obtained. The platform will be high enough to allow the passing of trucks underneath. Directly over the trucks there will be storage bins to receive the coal that arrives at the siding when no empty trucks are available, and the bins will empty direct to the trucks underneath by the opening of a trapdoor on the floor of the bin.
RESPECTFUL: The Red Cliffs Women’s Club will hold its usual fortnightly at home in the club-room, Diggerland tomorrow. The item of special interest for the afternoon will be an address by the Reverand L E Wilkinson, M A of Mildura, on the “Women of Islam,” embracing war-time experiences in Palestine and Egypt. For the occasion one of the members of the club will exhibit some Eastern tapestries, which will form an appropriate setting for the address on this interesting subject.
75 YEARS AGO: 1949
FUEL: Small quantities of petrol made available by farmers have enabled Meringur school buses to continue to operate, but all supplies will be exhausted by the end of this week. Mr E A Dunning, agent of Meringur, said there was no petrol in store anywhere between Yarrara and Morkalla – a distance of more than 15 miles. Not a bowser in the district was operating and the few drums held by farmers were becoming less each day. Things were looking very grim for the people of the Millewa as far as petrol was concerned, Mr Dunning said. “By getting a gallon here and a gallon there,” said Mr Dunning, “we were able to get 10 gallons for the tank of the feeder bus operating from Karween North. More than 80 children will be unable to get to the Meringur Consolidated School if petrol is not sent to Meringur. Most of them live miles away.
CLUCKIN: A start has been made on the building of poultry coops for Mildura District Show. When completed the coops will be the most modern and convenient for the exhibition of poultry in this district. Coops will be built in two tiers, the top one only a little bit more than five feet above the floor of the poultry pavilion. This will mean birds in both tiers will be fully visible to judges and spectators. Show Secretary (Mr Lem Moebus) said last night that the building was well-lighted and ventilated, and exhibitors could be sure their birds would be well looked after overnight. The coops and other equipment being prepared for the poultry class of the show were costing about 1000 pounds. (23.9.1949)
ALL ABOARD: With a full load of 52 passengers, the paddle steamer Gem left Morgan yesterday on her first cruise since she stuck a snag and sank at Cal Lal last November. The steamer has taken over the Mildura-Morgan cruise from the Marion and is expected to arrive in Mildura on Thursday. The Gem will remain in service between Mildura and Morgan until December 9. However, if the river falls, the Marion, which is being overhauled at Morgan, will be brought back into service.
50 YEARS AGO: 1974
EAGLES DARE: Robinvale under the hammer at the halfway mark, fought back strongly in the final two quarters to brilliantly take out the 1974 SFL premiership. Their accuracy in front of goal, faultless backing-up and most important, their extra fitness in the torrid last quarter were the main factors in their great win. It was a hard-slogging, tough and bruising contest with many sold physical clashes – yet the standard of football was first-class, one of the best grand finals we have seen for years.
ON SHOW: One group of people who won’t forget Saturday’s SFL grand final in a hurry are the Sunraysia Zone Marching Girls. Five marching girl teams put on a display at the half time interval, however things did not go as well as the girls had hoped. Publicity officer Wendy Macreadi said she and the marching girls were upset at the ignorance of the football public at the ground. The girls marched – or tried to march at half time – in an effort to keep supporters entertained and interested. ”The Sunraysia Football League gave us full assurance that the oval would be clear of people for the march to go unhindered. Yet we found we have five teams comprising 50 girls trying to march among 500 pushing people” she said.
SUBMERGED: Mildura Racecourse could be out of action for months following a break-through by Murray River floodwaters yesterday when water came in the back of the course. The water also cut the main road to Mildura Cemetery and this area can now be reached only from the upstream side. Yesterday, work continued on banks on both sides of the river in attempts to hold the flood. Mildura brickworks were still safely behind levee banks but the situation was worsened by Thursday’s rain.
25 YEARS AGO: 1999
TO BE SURE: Mildura’s new Irish pub has been hailed as one of a kind for Sunraysia. The pub’s intimate seating arrangements and dim lighting are expected to turn back time to the 1800’s, not to mention the purchase of $10,000 worth of Irish antiques. Owner Malcolm Kalms said the pub was designed for people who feel threatened by a night out on the town. “So many people feel the threat of possible violence within a nightclub or ordinary pub,” he said. “I hope to create the safe, homey feeling of a traditional Irish pub. Two-piece bands, lead light partitions, wood panelling and memorabilia and Irish flavoured food will set the scene for an up-market, relaxing night-out. The opening date is scheduled for November. (23.9.1999)
TURN THE PAGE: The Mildura Rural City Council Library Service has gone from strength to strength since the relocation of the Mildura headquarters library to the Alfred Deakin centre two years ago. Since opening the new Mildura library loans have increased 59.74 percent (289,547 loans), visits to the library have increased 42.46 percent (223,582 visits), reservations for library materials have increased 30.71 percent (14,253 reserves). While library membership for the municipality has also increased by 7028 to 28,510 members. The library purchases around 6000 new items each year, which arrive in a steady stream throughout the year. (23.9.1999)
EYES ON THE PRIZE: One of Australia’s most prized sporting possessions, the 1999 World Cricket Cup trophy is on display in Mildura. The “Holy Grail” of one-day cricket can be admired in the party room in McDonalds Family Restaurant in Deakin Avenue. It has been brought to Sunraysia as part of an Australian wide promotion by the Australian Cricket Board. The Australians easily defeated Pakistan to win the cup, but it was the gripping semi-final win over South Africa that captured the imagination. The World Cup is being accompanied by its own security guard throughout Victoria. (28.9.1999)
