Peeps Into The Past
19 to 25 February 2023
Presented by Mildura & District Historical Society
Compiled by Judi Hyde for Mildura Rural City Council Libraries
100 YEARS AGO
MILK: The recent agitation concerning Mildura milk supply – or the lack of it – and the cattle pasturage of the settlement – or the lack of it – has brought a promise of alleviation from an unexpected quarter. Though it does not find grass for Mildura cow-keepers, it holds out hope for Mildura consumers of a happy day not far distant when the tin cow will give place to the meat cow and when at silver dawn, the yodel of the milkman will be heard in the land by late diners and Sunraysia Daily galley slaves.
BE MARRIED: There are no blanks in the matrimonial lottery, though there are a few blankety blanks. Marriage holds for some, felicity; for many, contentment; for all, a wholesome discipline. It is not good that man should dwell alone – much less woman. The phrase “single blessedness” must have been coined by a jilted misanthrope. Woman is not the complement of man, expressly intended by nature to correct his errors – you rarely see a married man with dirty ears – no grease marks on his suit – if so, that sign says his wife no longer loves him – most of the batters are single and less happy.
NEWS: After searching for picking work in Mildura, and finding none, two boys, Scot and Brown, from Melbourne, aged 16 and 15 years, were arrested in Ouyen for jumping on a goods train at Hattah and concealing themselves but were found prior to reaching Ouyen.
The Mildura Town Council intend to convert the existing Town Hall into a modern theatre – the rebuilding scheme involves the extension of the western side to the Ninth St frontage to accommodate upwards of 2000 persons. A small portable residence of a workman will be shifted.
A fire caused 50 pounds of damage to sweat boxes and hessian at Mr Arthur Chaffey’s shed at the Crescent. Mr F. Woodford, a prominent cyclist was injured when his bike broke – while he was training with a number of cyclists, he received 41 stitches to his injured head.
75 YEARS AGO
NEWS: Days of steady grind and toil through the outback areas by pushbike are finished for grey-haired Syd Fernandez – Mildura’s Opperman. With 150,000 miles behind him, equal to six times around the world, Syd will ride by auto-cycle, a gift from the AWU for his 25 years as union organiser for the district – he has worn out two bicycles. He left home at 12, humped his swag as a shearer along the Darling River, through SA and NSW. With the formation of the Mildura’s Workers Union, he and Matt Smith, the secretary, are the only members left of the first committee. During one period as pastoral organiser he covered 18,000 miles through the Riverina, Wimmera and Mallee in nine round trips to 100 shearing stations – times have changed but Syd still considers his job as “pick of the bunch” – still riding up to 30-miles a day through the district.
PEOPLE: Red Cliffs baths was a popular place for swimmers, photo shows some of the 1455 people enjoying the beautiful facilities.
Outside Mildura Post Office a line of about 40 people waiting to collect mail and petrol tickets.
June Malam and Betty Skelton are shown packing marmalade at the Mildura Co-op Co.
Margery Kelly, Mrs P. Marsella and Evelyn Alderton are pictured at work on the Mildura Telephone Exchange.
A section of the crowd of 1000 attending the races at Sandalong Park are shown as are Nola Gaggin and Lurline Camin tearing up their losing cards.
Mr P. Wallace is pictured doing his hourly check on the pressure gages of the Stahl turbine which drives the main generator at the Powerhouse.
Messrs W.J and J. McKeown, A.R. Bennett, J.H. Sloan, C. Baldwin, business men and mechanical engineers are photographed at the Mildura airport alongside their three Wackett Trainers in which they flew from Melbourne via Echuca and Kerang – it cost the party less to fly than drive.
ITEMS: Sixteen airmen were killed when a four-engined RAAF Lincoln bomber crashed and burst into flames at Amberley aerodrome. Coming in from Laverton, Victoria, the machine overshot its landing strip, the 16 occupants were killed instantly. Arab military sources stated that Arab “dynamite commandos” wearing the uniform of Palestine Police had engineered the Yehuda St explosion.
A factory for the repair and manufacture of barrels would probably be established soon.
The first of a series of championship swimming carnivals was staged at Kenny Park, detailed results are published – a second championship will be held on Tuesday.
Three designs for the construction of 11th St will between Deakin and San Mateo Avenues are to be discussed at the council meeting.
The settlers Club donated 100 pounds to the funds for the War Nurses Memorial centre appeal.
A Mildura industry will benefit from the development of the soldier settlement at Robinvale – an order for 63,784 ft of concrete piping for water distribution was placed.
50 YEARS AGO
NEWS: Mildura gardener and musician, Mr Max Perry, had an unusual dream, in it he wrote a new waltz and then got up and danced to it in a packed ballroom. In fact he woke up his wife Bessie, told her about it and they put the waltz to music while they were holidaying at Woodend. Last Saturday that waltz was demonstrated at Mr Perry’s old-time dance in the Wesley Hall. Mrs Perry played the music while Mr Perry and partner, Mrs H. Dunlop waltzed to it before 150 people and much applause.
Mildura driver Mr Colin Pugsley has been crossing Murray River ferries on the Sturt Highway for 20 years. Mr Colin Pugsley, who has driven buses on the Sturt Highway for 20 years drove the last passenger Murray Valley coach to cross the Murray by ferry at Kingston, SA. Children from the Riverland schools helped make up the 3000 people who saw the new bridge opened by Mr Don Dunstan, the SA Premier.
RAIN: Pelting rain from a cloudburst gouged channels 3ft deep between rows of citrus trees at Dareton. An area of about 700 acres was hit as over three inches of rain in an hour brought scenes like the 1956 floods. The storm swept away tiers of drying grapes and piles silt 4ft high. One section of Mr Hagen’s channel looked as though a giant fish had crushed it – small fragments on concrete protruded from tons of silt.
A fast-flowing stream of water is moving along Willandra – the first time in almost 300 years – the force of the water has cut the Pan Balmoral Rd which is 50ft wide – the water is moving at a speed of some 15 mph.
Four semi-trailers are bogged and isolated by floodwaters, they are among 12 trucks which were to have brought 5000 sheep from stations within a 100-mile radius of Wentworth to Yelta’s sheep sale. A truck was needed to pull the mail van out of a bog seven miles from Pan Ban Station which is surrounded by water – they had 850 points in two days – the road to Pan Ban Station the Council built two years ago of rubble and boulders, 18 inches above the lake-bed, it is now 6ft under the water, three Wentworth Shire councillors and the Shire Clerk have made an aerial survey.
The best rain in 10 years has broken the 2-year drought on most grazing properties within a 100-mile radius of Pooncarie – the highest fall was 560points at Yarraman Station.
LIVES: One of the most enjoyable experiences in a child’s life is a trip with Mum and Dad in the family car. The sights and sounds he or she encounters as the car moves along opens up a whole new world for their growing minds. What a tragedy it is then when we read that over 800 of their little lives were either stopped short or cruelly injured while travelling on Victorian roads last year. At present there is no law which compels you to fit some form restraint for children under 8 years of age, many responsible parents have not waited for legislation but have put their children first and fitted proper safety seats and harnesses. Children are curious creatures and are prone to stand on the seat so they can see out of the car or move about in the car from side to side or back seat for front. Your children are precious, don’t kill or injure them needlessly – children have been seen playing in the back and leaning over the tailgate.
25 YEARS AGO
COLUMN 10: Youths caught driving scooters recklessly in a town in Southern Spain can pay the traditional fine or undergo another form of punishment – they promise to read in 30 days a book they are given by the library after that the convict must answer questions to show he or she has read all the book.
If a truckie is wondering why he doesn’t seem to be travelling as fast as he usually does – a tail shaft was picked up near the intersection of Boeill Creek Rd and River Rd, Dareton police have the tail shaft which connects the gearbox to the differential – is worth a few pay packets.
ITEMS: European Wasps are way down this year from last year. Council have found 11 nests this year compared to 121 complaints and 62 nests found last year.
Engineers are using new directional boring technology to overcome difficulties in laying a new 225 millimetre diameter sewerage main through unstable soil in South Mildura. Other utilities use the system to bore beneath rivers to lay cables and pipelines. The operator guides the drill head using detectors on the surface along the chosen line – when the drill gets to the manhole at 150 metres, another head is put on to ream the hole out to the diameter and the pipe is drawn back through the tunnel.
London Plane trees are to be planted in 8th St between Langtree and Olive Avenues – public opinion will be sought once the 22 trees are planted to provide maximum shade for carparking bays.
CLUB: Mildura Aero Club’s new 13 metre square hangar was opened. The hanger was constructed by J. Powell, of Merbein Sheds, a four place Piper Archer aircraft was also purchased giving the club its wings for the first time. The Aero Club is a fully licensed club, membership is $20pa members include: cleaners, students, blockies, housewives, mechanics and car salesmen.
