THE beginnings of a new “mini-forest” on the lawns near the Badger Bates Seat on Mildura riverfront are being planted to honour a former local councillor and successful businessman.
Nola Andriske was on hand this week to see 18 black box and gum trees planted in memory of her late husband Laurie, after she donated $2000 for Greening Mildura and Mildura Rural City Council to oversee the project.
Mr Andriske established Andy’s Engineers in the 1950s and helped introduce some of the biggest ranges of agricultural components to Australia, before he died aged 98 in 2021.
Elected to the City of Mildura council in 1969, he served the region until 1987, with one term as mayor from September 1976.
Before his working life, Mr Andriske, the youngest of eight children, was an infantryman with the 7th Battalion.
The Battalion arrived in Darwin by train from Melbourne, via Adelaide and Alice Springs, on February 22, 1942, just three days after Japanese aircraft attacked Darwin Harbour.
“Laurie left school and went to work at Wards Jewellers as an apprentice watchmaker,” Mrs Andriske said.
“But World War II was in progress, and he put up his age to join the 7th Battalion, which served in Darwin for the whole time the Japanese bombed northern Australia.”
Mrs Andriske, who turns 90 in August, said the site for the new trees on the riverfront was special for the couple.
“I wanted to do something to honour him, and Laurie and I would often come down to the riverfront with some wine, smoked oysters for him and cheese for me,” she said.
“He was a kind, gentle, beautiful man who gave a lot of his time to helping make this community a better place.”
Greening Mildura has now planted more than 9000 trees in the region since it started a decade ago.
