30 July – 5 August 2023
100 YEARS AGO: 1923
A Mallee settler, who is greatly interested in the newly opened Millewa country, says that he is afraid a vast quantity of good timber will be sacrificed because some of the new settlers will be compelled to get rid of it as best they can in order to prepare their land for crops. He suggests that the Government should make it possible for these men to cut and save, by stacking, the valuable pine and belar for the making of posts etc. Advances could be made on the timber thus saved, which would then be available to the Government for use on the irrigation areas. There are certainly some wonderfully valuable pine and belar patches in the Millewa country, and any waste of this timber will be a grievous error. (31.7.1923)
At the present time many people are endeavouring to visualise the post office about to be built in Mildura. A few details obtained from the plans and specifications will assist them in this direction. The frontage in Deakin Avenue, will be 69ft, which is 21ft more than the old post office frontage, and will extend from Eighth Street to a point 20 to 30ft from Mr A J Jenkins’s pharmacy. Three steps will lead to the porch, which will look effective with six concrete pillars. The building will be brick, cement faced, with cornices and moulds, the foundations being of concrete, and the roof being red tiled. It has not been possible to procure locally the special timber for the woodwork, which will be mostly maple, French polished. It is especially laid out in the specifications, however, that the timber must be Australian or British. (30.7.1923)
The installation of several electrical radiators in the Mildura Town Hall at the Star pictures on Wednesday evening was regarded as a great improvement. The radiators helped greatly to increase the comfort of the large crowd and many expressions of appreciation were heard. (3.8.1923)75 YEARS AGO: 1948
300 children from Mildura and District between 9 and 13 years, will be invited to attend the Lord Mayor’s holiday camp at Portsea this summer. It is hoped that the first batch of children will leave Mildura in December and the balance in January, returning in time for the fruit harvest. Each camp will be 10 days. The cost of the camp including transport, will be 2 pounds, 10 shillings a head, and parents will be asked to contribute as much of this amount as possible, the balance will be made up of public subscription. Last year the balance was met by Melbourne businessmen and organisations. (30.7.1948)
Forty shareholders of the Irnaco Cooperative Company, at Nangiloc, will complete, in the next few months, plans to establish a retail primary produce market in Mildura. The company will be able to supply Mildura with fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy produce, Mr D Dickeson, one of the company’s directors, said last night. The company had been formed by primary producers from Iraak, Nangiloc and Colignan, and the name had been chosen to embody the three towns. The company has purchased a former Lake Boga RAAF building through the Disposals Commission and this would be converted for use as a store with a 50ft frontage to the river Murray. (31.7.1948)
Isolation should be no argument against the establishment in Sunraysia of a Boys’ Town, said Mr Gavin McCarthy in a letter to the editor. “Mildura is isolated from the centres and the capitals – the centres of strife and discordancy, and the capitals of crime and dissatisfaction,” writes Mr McCarthy. “A large fruit block would enable boys under supervision to learn most trades and give them an introduction to most professions. The climate of the district would build their bodies, open their eyes, and create new disciples for decentralisation. In this sun-drenched district of Sunraysia such an establishment should flourish. I have written Father Dunlea asking that he and his colleagues carefully consider Sunraysia’s claims,” said Mr McCarthy. (5.8.1948)
50 YEARS AGO: 1973
A Menindee man has bought the historic Burtundy Station, 36 miles northeast of Wentworth on the Darling River. Mr Murray Davis paid $163,000 for the property, soon after it was passed in at auction at $156,000. For the past 75 years Burtundy has belonged to the Richardson family. Burtundy covers 54,376 acres and has a 20-mile frontage along the Darling River. It stands in a 10-inch rainfall area. The station is renowned for breeding top quality merino sheep. (30.7.1973)
Sunraysia is to get 74 more Housing Commission homes this financial year. Six houses will be built at Red Cliffs and five at Commercial Street West, Merbein. Fifty-five houses planned for Mildura will constitute the new “city gate” estate near 14th Street on the south-east side of town. All the roads will have Aboriginal names. The main street will be Biralee Avenue. Biralee is Aboriginal for “children.” There is a serious housing shortage in Mildura, with about 20 families on the waiting list. (30.7.1973)
Merbein’s long awaited sewerage scheme went a step closer to reality yesterday with the turning of the first sod of earth. The scheme expected to cost $600,000, is scheduled for completion in September next year. Work began on the first trench situated opposite Kenny Park. “The sewerage will mean a lot to Merbein, and I expect the town to develop,” Councillor Neville Smith said yesterday. “I am quite sure that Merbein must progress.” (2.8.1973)25 YEARS AGO: 1998
Consultants conducting a feasibility study into establishing Bendigo Bank services in Wentworth say they are well pleased with the local response following a series of meetings during the last four days. The proposal being examined could see individuals and community groups in Wentworth purchasing the rights to operate an authorised branch of the bank in Wentworth. An authorised branch would offer a full range of banking services including over the counter business transactions. (8.8.1998)
A petition opposing the second phase of the Alfred Deakin Centre will be presented to Mildura Rural City Mayor Eddie Warhurst at 3pm today. Petition organisers had been worried late last week that they would not reach their target of 3300 signatures. As it turned out, the final tally was over 4600, well more than 10 percent of enrolled municipal voters required to force council to conduct a poll on the issue. A council spokesman said council’s first task would be to verify that the petitioners were in fact registered on the municipal roll. This was expected to take two or three council officers about a week. (5.8.1998)
Yesterday 103 students from Upland High School, in Mildura’s Californian sister city, spent the day at Mildura Senior College talking, touring, and performing. During their stay in Mildura, the Californians have marvelled at the similarities of Mildura and Upland, said music co-ordinator, Ralph Comito. “Your Deakin Avenue is the exact same design as our Euclid Avenue … only ours leads to the mountains.” Upland High School came to Australia to primarily participate in a youth music gathering at the Sydney Opera House – and decided to extend their tour to Mildura. (31.7.1998)
