November 14-20, 2021
Presented by Mildura & District Historical Society.
Compiled by Judi Hyde for Mildura Rural City Council.
100 YEARS AGO
MILDURA: The architect for the Mildura Memorial Tower said that the memorial tablets will be made of gun metal, not brass as previously incorrectly quoted. Cr Washington suggested that an experimental plot of cotton should be planted in the Deakin Avenue Gardens the size to be defined by the gardener and the Mayor and fenced by barbed wire. The tender of Mr A.H. Bishop of Orange Ave of 398 pounds 10 shillings for additions to the nurses’ quarters be accepted as there were no other quotes. To cater for the thirst developed by the hot weather in Mildura, heavy consignments of beer, bottled and in bulk, arrived by rail. The record previously established was broken by the arrival of a truckload containing 30 tons of intoxicating drinks. The Lake School will have a concert program for children in Music Week with items on the Sonora gramophone kindly lent by Mr H. Dobbyn, who will also provide records by Dame Nellie Melba. The Mildura Fire Brigade has arranged to make their annual demonstration an attraction for all locals and those coming into Mildura by train to see it by using a Revolving Sun, Forest of Fire, revolving Fountains of Fire, Golden Tree, Saxon cross, Star-Shells, rockets and smaller illuminations. Over 200 dozen eggs were collected for the hospital during Egg Week. (14.11.1921)
MUSEUM: The exhibition of antiques organised by Mrs W.B. Chaffey in aid of the Patriotic Fund in 1918 revealed that Mildura – most modern of modern Australia settlements – is not lacking in valuable relics. Old silver, lace, china, priceless miniatures and jewellery were contributed to the display that covered walls tables, showcases and floor in the big double sitting-room of Rio Vista. Among the relics was a photo of Mr and Mrs Short and their son, for whom it was claimed that he was the first child born here. Shawls, tapestry, books, First World War relics, a sword from the Battle of Waterloo, pottery from North American Indian tribes, a vase from a mummy case to Wedgewood, Doulton and Crown Derby china, etc. was not lacking among the forebears of many a Mildura blocker so a museum to exhibit items including local history would be a needed success. (15.11.1921)
HOTEL: A new hotel is proposed for Mildura – there were 773 residents on the roll of the area for which the proclamation is sought and signed for its erection as a cheaper hotel. Inspector Lineham stressed the need for a good second-class hotel providing two classes of accommodation. The tariff at the Grand was not high for first-class but a section of the travelling public could not afford to pay 12/6 per day. Mildura was an ideal winter resort and at the time of the last growers’ conference the public were asked to help with the overcrowding of the hotel and boarding homes. The petitioners intended to apply for a licence for a family hotel – 64 rooms and a reasonable tariff was planned. White lead paint has now been prohibited for outside use at the Geneva Conference – Australia said it would regulate it. (16.11.1921)
75 YEARS AGO
NEWS: Do you remember December 7, 1941? It was a Sunday which will go down in history as the zenith of human hate. Although the whole world was “at the ready” American sailors and airmen, caught unawares at the outpost of their country were destroyed by the hounds of hell. It turned out to be a turning point in. at that time the solitary effort of the British Empire to prove that the Christians way of thinking was stronger than the concerted rights of those who believed that might was right. Sunraysia Daily and 3MA are proud to use such a time as a means of awakening to make a sorely tried generation make the path safe for the next generation – even if you only have a pipe for a chimney let our children know that Father Christmas will come. Atonement for the destruction of an ancient English church is being made by German prisoners of war who are rebuilding All Saints’ Church, Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire. Nylons would be available before Christmas in the place of braided fishing lines. Cuttyhunk lines, unknown for years, were on sale. Husbands and boyfriends were up against it, that good old let-out stockings were just a little scarcer than they were last year when all these goods served apprenticeships in the semi-luxury trades and diverted elsewhere. (15-16.11.1946)
PEOPLE: Highlights in the fourth round of district cricket were the scores of Curlwaa West and Merbein in the First Eleven games. Two brilliant centuries were made by T. Watmuff (Curlwaa) 126, including one six and 14 fours in 140 minutes and B. Ferguson (Mildura West) 118, including five fours, in 115 minutes. The members of the Mildura Riding School, also Misses Mary Egan and June Rowe at the 18th on the Mildura links and three modern Huckleberry Finns, Harry Pollard, John Robertson and Peter Therfilson out after yabbies and having plenty of thrills. (18.11.1946)
MERBEIN: The Committee of the Merbein Settlers Picnic to be held in Kenny Park has allocated 85 pounds as prize money for the various events in foot running. A well attended meeting held under the auspices of the Merbein Progress Society and Merbein ANA decided to hold a community Christmas treat for the children of Merbein, Merbein West, Merbein South and lake districts in Kenny Park on Christmas Eve. Twenty-six prominent locals are named to organise the event and names of businesses where donations can be left for the community effort. A big crowd attended the gymkhana and sports held at Merbein West. Gross returns exceeded 85 pounds for the Reserve Improvement Fund. A long list of events and entrants is printed, including the Ladies’ Nail Driving and Throwing at the Wicket events. (19.11.1946)
50 YEARS AGO
SPORT: Mildura Technical School’s rowing team has only been training together for one month and already has had success. The boys, John Gathercole (coxswain) Alan McKee, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Martin Waller and Michael Clarke, rowed a few weeks ago at Berri and took off second place and plan to race at Dimboola and in the Melbourne regattas. Junior Riverside Lawn Tennis Club have had more than blazing temperatures, dodging balls and jumping the net to contend with as their secretary, Mrs J. Raupach said, as they had to contend with seven players being bitten on the feet by bees so make sure you wear shoe and socks while playing. (16-21.11.1971)
SERVICE: Mildura shop assistants are polite, well-dressed and efficient cited Mr T. Brown, Mildura’s Chamber of Commerce secretary, after a city newspaper printed an article saying that Australian shop assistants seem to think that the customer is privileged to be served by them – instead of being grateful that the customer has come into the shop and helped to contribute to their livelihood. Mildura posties are still whistling, officially and will continue to do so unless told not to by the administrative headquarters in Melbourne. At the Federal Conference of the Australian Postal Workers’ Union last week decided that whistles were unhygienic, cut posties’ mouths and attracted dogs. It also decided postmen need not deliver mail to houses where they had been attacked by dogs. (17-20.11.1971)
SMITHY: The Mildura Arts Centre director, Mr T. McCullough, has been offered a blacksmith’s workshop, thought to be at least 100 years old, including the smithy’s hut and all its equipment, by Mr L. Carroll, who runs the Gol Gol sheep station. Gol Gol has been divided many times into smaller stations and the needs to repair horse-drawn vehicles and horses’ hooves has dwindled away. The smithy still has its forge, branding irons, huge bellows and items of equipment. The building, 20ft by 30ft, is a fine example of fully rolled logs laid horizontally without nails or mortar, all could be incorporated as part of possible riverfront development or rebuilt near Rio Vista. (17.11.1971)
25 YEARS AGO
BUSINESSES: Target and Kmart are preparing for an all-out assault on shoplifters in the lead-up to Christmas, which experience as much as a 40 per cent rise in shopper numbers in the pre-Christmas rush. Mildura police reveal a startling 51 per cent rise in the crime compared to the same time last financial year and that children are the sole problem was far from the truth. As $100 is spent at the counter, $1 walks out the door via shoplifters. Started in the early 1970s, A.V. Trophies specialise in the supply of trophies, engraving, name and novelty badges, presentation plaques and pewter, supplying many end-of-season trophies. (15.11.1996)
ITEMS: The Lake School officially opened its new administration and classroom facilities. The school was originally opened in 1908 but was destroyed by fire in 1910, then a brick classroom and office was reopened in 1911 and apart from two brick classrooms being added in the 1920s not much has been changed till now. Children in rural areas often face more risks because of the number of hazards around farms. Farmyards are work-places as well as a home and playground and there is a much greater exposure to chemicals, silos, dams, machinery and equipment. The main carrier for the Ross River disease or Murray Valley encephalitis is a mosquito called Celux annulorostris, which has a white band around its nose and can carry encephalitis from wild water-fowl to humans – seek medical help if bitten. Mildura Nudist Group has reformed – activities are camel trekking, social tennis, cricket, fishing – all in your birthday suit – the group is modelled on the Pelican Point refuge near Barmera. (14-18.11.1996)
PEOPLE: Mildura Police bade farewell to Mr F. De Lacy after 40 years of service. He came here for the 1956 picking season and then joined the academy, spent three years in Melbourne after graduating. He said the Mildura police had only two phone numbers, then “9” and “38”. That’s progress he said, saying police numbers had also increased from 21 to about 100 now. After a life devoted to medicine and rotary, Red Cliffs lost Dr Bill Lawrence. He and his wife, a nurse, were known as “Dr Bill and Sister Betty”. One of his highlights was in the 1980s he delivered a child to the first person he had bought into the world. A Rotary member for 35 years, he was made a Paul Harris Fellow. On land that was bought from the Chaffey brothers by Richard Midgley, who came to Mildura in 1888 and whose descendants live in Merbein today. Mr Midgley ran a cordial works from 1889, hence the naming of the adjacent Midgley’s Lane. The factory delivered cordial by horse and cart, the stables were where the Commodore Motel is now and the Cordial factory was in Madden Ave as it was to be the main road until the railways came. The factory was originally named the Pioneer Factory and later the Alpha Cordial Works. The remains of a well 40ft deep and an old brick bathtub without a plug hole can still be seen said Mr Calvin Briant, who came to Mildura in the years after WWII and set up his business now known as Briants Television Centre on that land. Mr Briant taught at the University of Melbourne campus at the airport and his first qualification – one of 13 – was as a scientific instrument maker. In 1950 he bought what was to be Mildura’s first television outlet, along with the Atlantic Oil site on the corner of 7th Street and Madden Avenue. He was known as “the man with the TV”. (15-17.11.1996)
