PRESENTED by Mildura and District Historical Society and compiled by Judy Hyde for Mildura Rural City Council Libraries.
100 YEARS AGO
DEPUTATION: A conference of soldier settlers of dried-fruit areas in Victoria was held at the Mildura Council Chambers for the purpose of discussing the industry with the idea of putting requests before the Commonwealth Government. Major Radelyffe, of Merbein, who convened the meeting was in the chair, also present were 18 men including Doctor McWilliams of Mildura. Major Radelyffe, President of the No 24 District Council who is also a member of the Merbein RSSILA, had called the conference at the request of a large number of soldiers in the district. Some of the older growers were feeling the position of the industry acutely. Older growers were leaving their blocks day after day. The position of the older growers was caused by the government repatriating something like 1700 soldiers in the industry. It was the impression that the government intended to stick to the soldier growers by spoon-feeding them and allowing the older growers to go out.
BRIDGES: At the public meeting of the Merbein Progress League, Mr J. A. Whitney drew attention to the construction of bridges over the main distribution channel at two points. A bridge was urgently needed over the channel in the vicinity of the Merbein Central State School. This would be a boon to the residents on the south side of the channel, and would be an additional argument in the claim that residents were making for the construction of a protected crossing with rails over the Merbein Yelta railway extension at Surgey Street. A second bridge was badly needed in front of the residence of councillor Chislett. Mr Radelyffe drew attention to the culvert in Main Avenue near Wishart’s corner as a heavy vehicle would probably break through the culvert.
LOCK: The extensive construction work at Lock 10 on which 184 men are engaged is progressing rapidly. About three-fourths of the large coffer dam has been completed and the officers are awaiting the arrival of the dipper dredge which is expected in two weeks’ time to excavate down to the clay. The coffer dam will not be completed until the river lowers, about January – the lock will not be completed until about three to four years from now.
75 YEARS AGO
CRAFT: About 150 parents saw a display of craftwork by Mildura High School students as part of Education Week. The display included art and technical drawings, book-work in a number of studies, modelling, project work in the science laboratory, needlework and woodwork. The woodwork, one of the most interesting of the sections, showed the different work done by students from 1st to the 9th year classes. Senior pupil’s exhibits included model houses, spiral staircases, a complete lathe made by one of the night students and examples of difficult plumbing problems.
SUBDIVISION: This afternoon the allotments on the Spider’s Web, Red Cliffs (formerly Cornish’s block), will be sold at public auction by Mr A. Henshall, the Red Cliffs auctioneer and agent. These allotments, which are half acre blocks, offer an ideal opportunity to the intending home-builder to provide himself with a site whose value is certain to be greatly enhanced in the course of the next few years. The subdivision is situated within easy walking distance from the town, and the greater part of the area has an easterly aspect. Water is to be laid on to the subdivision and the size of the blocks will allow the householder to indulge to the fullest his taste for gardening.
STORE: The general manager of Lapin and Blass Pty Ltd., Mr W. Jamieson confirmed the sale of the Mildura Branch to Woolworths (Australia) Ltd. The transaction has been completed and Woolworths will take over in the very near future, thus completing 22 years of trading in Mildura by Lapin and Blass. The two leading Australian chain stores – Coles and Woolworths will now have their branches side by side in Langtree Avenue. Woolworths had bought only the business and part of the stock. The company’s building would be retained. Negotiations for the sale were begun by the principal director, Mr M. Kornan who is recovering from a heart attack – he gained controlling interest when he bought out Mr T. Lapin in 1940, Mr Blass, the other co-founder died in 1936. The original site of the business was the corner of Langtree Avenue and Eighth Street, where the Commercial Bank now stands. As the business expanded, the properties in Red Cliffs and Merbein were acquired.
50 YEARS AGO
MAP: Two years ago Barry and Maureen Wright knew nothing about the mighty Murray, its navigation, rules and hidden dangers. They had no idea that a planned pleasure cruise up the river in a converted lifeboat would lead to an exciting 14 month adventure. More importantly, a publication of a permanent reminder of the trip, “Murray River Charts”, a history of the river from Renmark, South Australia to Yarrawonga Victoria. Mrs Wright painstakingly marked on a series of charts all the hazards of the river as well as homesteads, locks, windmills, fishing spots, points of interest and up-to-date navigation aids.
FRUIT: Mandarins are probably the most delicate of the commercial citrus varieties and require careful handling. During the past two years there have been alarming numbers of rejections mainly due to clipping but also poor picking. Citrus packers are required to conform to rigid standards, but they cannot perform miracles with the inferior fruit delivered to them by growers supplying poorly clipped stems on fruit.
SUNFLOWER: Farmers in the Millewa have been going in more for sunflower crops. They realised that the sunflower had economic value – so much so that it is Australia’s major oil crop. The sunflower was a nuisance in the 1950s and a stopgap crop during the wheat and wool slump of the 1960s. The CSIRO has been investigating the sunflower and now believes the genetic potential of Australia’s varieties in unlimited. They have begun importing pollen from many overseas countries as growers are reluctant to release seed from varieties but willing to release pollen.
25 YEARS AGO
TORCH: On August 21, Sunraysia Daily printed dozens of photos and comments of the day the Olympic Torch was passed from runner to runner in the Sunraysia district cheered on by locals. One man, David Gasteren followed it here from Aldinga Beach South Australia and will follow it to Broken Hill. Sunraysia Daily journalist, Phil Madden is off to Sydney as a volunteer in the Olympic News Service. Kevin Hogarth is shown relighting the Flame from the community cauldron as he prepares to start his leg of Saturday’s Torch Relay. The Red Cliffs Torch Bearers were given a rousing reception by the residents at the Red Cliffs Nursing Home – pictured is Reg Etherington with Torch Bearer Kaylene Gaddes.
EYES: Sunraysia residents will have the opportunity to gain insight into a unique method to help children overcome learning difficulties. The Irlen Dyslexia Centre representative will present a seminar on the symptoms which can contribute to slow or inefficient reading and poor comprehensive skills. Symptoms include blurred vision, movement of the print and rapid fatigue when reading. The symptom could also affect attention span, listening, energy level and motivation.
GARDENS: Another dimension will be added to the Inland Botanic Gardens at Buronga with the construction of a $70,000, two and a half acre lake. The lake will be constructed on the garden’s lowest point, in the south-west corner and be fed by two streams cascading from a smaller header lake at the top of the property and will attract a variety of aquatic plants and bird life. Over 4000 tonnes of earth has been removed from the site by the Wentworth Council – the earth will be used to repair the Boeill Creek road.
