Peeps in the Past. Presented by Mildura and District Historical Society. Compiled by Judi Hyde and Sue Kelly for Mildura Rural City Council Library Service.
100 years ago
WHEAT: Farmers are invited to compete — man against man, district against district — in a display of wheat as Sunraysia Daily offers a first prize of three pounds and Mr A.E. Lloyd, of De Garis and Co., offers second prize of one pound for the best sheaf of wheat produced this season in Sunraysia fields. Sheaves may be of any variety of wheat and need not to be of greater size than can be nicely spanned by the two hands. They must be neatly and firmly tied and labelled, the label stating: 1. The variety of wheat; 2. When sown; 3. The amount of seed sown per acre; 3a. On what class of soil produced; 4. Whether on fallow, ordinary stubble or entirely new land; 5. The district where grown and number of the block; 6. Full name, address and postal address of the sender. For publicity Messrs De Garis & Co. have offered for a week to exhibit the best sheafs in a Deakin Avenue window and also in Melbourne and Adelaide. The heads should be protected by wrapping in hessian or some other covering to save wastage of grain.
ITEMS: The Digger with a block must next make a home. It is said that Red Cliffs applicants unlucky enough to be left out were in nearly all cases those that were neither married nor engaged to be married. There should be continuous peal of wedding bells in 1921. The plumbing has begun to put a water service in Commercial Street, Merbein, for the town supply and good pressure has been conducted. It has been announced that the price of all the daily papers now published in London at one penny will now be increased to 1 1/2d from the end of January.
THE ONE THAT PULLED THE BEND OUT: Micko had been on the same circuit for years, shearing up country, cockying in the Mallee during harvest, and fruit picking after. Camped on Pinky Bend, he was telling a new chum picker about the size of the Murray cod. “Yes,” said Micko “about eight years ago it was — I was down fishing at night and had the boss’s tame goanna with me, tied him to a tree near the edge of the water and went upstream to put in a night line. When I came back the goanna had disappeared, and I soon got wise that a big cod had swallowed the little cow and was pulling at the line. Twas a bit of a silk line and when I tried to pull the swine in I couldn’t shift it. I ran to get help and it took four of us to land him.” “Good job the tree held,” said the new chum with biting sarcasm. “The blooming tree held alright,” added Micko, “but the cod pulled the bend out of the damn river.”
75 years ago
BOXING DAY: The majority of Sunraysia families were content to spend Boxing Day at the district river spots or swimming pools. Throughout the day families and friends, burdened with hampers, could be seen making their way to the district’s cool spots in an endeavour to escape the rising temperature. Many families using carefully stored stocks of petrol headed for the favourite picnic resorts as the temperature reached 104 degrees. Shops and kiosks reported particularly heavy sales in soft drinks and ice cream.
CRICKET: The annual cricket matches between the Mildura and Merbein associations were played on the turf wickets at the Mildura Recreation Oval on Boxing Day in the hot weather. A severe dust storm interrupted the games about 4 o’clock and advantage was taken to provide the players with afternoon tea and also welcome the visitors.
SOFT DRINKS: Supplies of soft drinks are likely to be very low or completely exhausted during the next few days. The heavy demand during the hot weather has seriously depleted reserve stocks.
50 years ago
AMBULANCE: Poor weather has reduced attendances at this year’s Mildura ambulance carnival. Ambulance superintendent at Mildura (Mr D.B. Matthews) thought that the North West Victorian Ambulance Service would be lucky to make $3000 profit from the carnival this year. The carnival features trampolines, merry-go-round, stalls, sideshows and lucky envelopes.
SPEEDWAY: After 26 keenly fought events, Victorian riders emerged winners of the clash between Victorian and South Australian motorcycle sides at the Olympic Park Speedway. The best ever crowd seen at the speedway paid $1200 to see Victorians romp home 21 points to the South Australian’s side’s 16.
CONTEST: Winner of the holiday girl contest at Mildura races was Miss Diane Greenhill, of Irymple. The runner-up was Mrs Judy Hallow.
25 years ago
RAILWAYS: After 43 years on the railways, Harry Hill eased the train out of the Mildura V/Line Freight Centre for the last time. Harry began his railway career in 1952 after starting on a special gang in Ouyen, replacing sleepers. He then moved to Mildura in 1953. He cleaned and stoked steam engines for a number of years, before diesel was introduced and earned his driving ticket in 1960. The bulk of Harry’s work was spent carting wheat around Pinnaroo, Donald and other outlying areas, switching with other crews who continued the journey to Melbourne.
DOCTOR: Popular Red Cliffs doctor Bill Lawrence has announced he is closing his practice, which he first entered as a young practitioner 40 years ago. More than 750 families, many who have never visited another doctor, have been calling on Dr Lawrence to thank him for his care and counselling that has spanned generations in the town.
MISS SUNRAYSIA: Underbool’s Naomi Sprigg recently took out the Miss Sunraysia title as part of the Miss Australia Awards. Naomi represented the district in the state judging held in Melbourne on December 11 and was one of the 17 finalists in the Miss Victoria Awards. The Walpeup-Underbool football and netball clubs were Naomi’s sponsors and helped, along with other district organisations, to raise considerable funds.
