Presented by Mildura & District Historical Society compiled by Mildura Rural City Council Libraries.
100 YEARS AGO: 1924
GREEN: A meeting of the Mildura town council parks and garden committee is to be held at 9.30 o’clock this morning to deal with the question of leasing the fencing space at the recreation reserve for advertising purposes.
ON THE WING: Pigeon racing provided Ouyen residents with a fascinating entertainment on Saturday. Friday morning’s train from Melbourne unloaded 126 panniers containing 1989 racing pigeons, the property of the metropolitan members of the Victorian Homing Pigeon Association. These were entered for competition in the Association’s Federation Race over the airline distance of 245 miles from Ouyen to Melbourne. The birds were liberated by officials at 9.10am. When this was affected, the air was literally black with bird life, but within a few minutes the whole flock was lost to view on its homeward flight. The first arrival accomplished the journey in 5 hours, 41 minutes.
PLAY IT LOUD: On Sunday evening, the Mildura Juvenile Brass Band are making their first public performance under the conductorship of Mr H Magnuson. It will take the form of a recital delivered from the band rotunda in Deakin Avenue, and all residents of Mildura are invited to attend.
75 YEARS AGO: 1949
MOOVE ON: Every move possible will be adopted by Mildura Shire Council to stop the herding of cattle on Shire roads where the animals prove a menace to traffic and block-owners. Discussions arose when a letter was read from Koorlong Progress Association drawing attention to the trespass by cattle from a herd owned by a ratepayer. The Shire Engineer (Mr K N Johansen) said the cattle grazing were a menace to the traffic. “The Shire could never expect to have a green belt when cows were allowed to roam the streets and eat off every bit of green grass. He said it was not fair to ratepayers, particularly those near the aerodrome where a large majority of the trouble was evident. He suggested that the rangers confer with the Shire’s solicitor and take steps to impound the cows and continue to impound them until something was done by the owners to keep them off the roads.
DIB DIB: Although Bob-a-Job Week does not commence officially until today, many Scouts and Cubs in Sunraysia have begun jobs already and are returning money to their Scoutmasters. “This coming week promises to be very full one indeed for those keen little workers and public support is asked for their efforts,” the District Scoutmaster (Mr K L Gedge) said yesterday. “Part of their scout training is to bring home to them the fact that money must be earned.” Suggested jobs Scouts and Cubs could do during Bob-a-Job Week included sweeping yards, burning rubbish, cleaning shoes, polishing brass taps and doorknobs, minding children, running messages, washing cars, watering gardens and clipping hedges.
GOING GLOBAL: Mildura will be on the air to the world tonight when the first Amateur Hour broadcast to originate from here will be produced at Mildura Town Hall. It will be broadcast over a nation-wide hook-up of Australian stations and over short-wave on Radio Australia. The technical side of the broadcast will be handled by technicians from Radio 3MA. It will be the first time that the Amateur Hour has been heard over 3MA.Ten acts presented by Sunraysia artists will constitute the programme which was decided by a group of Amateur Hour officials yesterday.
50 YEARS AGO: 1974
STUNT: One of the major Royal Show attractions in Australia – the Holden Precision Driving Team – will appear for the first time at the Mildura Show next week. They will drive four 1974 model four-door Monaros in a 15-minute performance consisting of ramp jumps, formation driving, crossovers, low and high-speed precision driving plus a segment performed to music. The Monaros are driven from show to show and average about 55,000 kilometres per car for these appearances. Although all the drivers have had vast experience in rally driving, they are basically “self-taught experts”.
GAME ON: The 1974-7 softball season, which begins tomorrow, looks like starting off on a weak note. Only five teams have fielded in Major A Grade this season, leaving the top grade with a bye each week. Junior A and B grades have been scrapped altogether. But while the afternoon teams have been dropping in numbers, the morning primary grades have gained five teams since last season and now field 23 teams in the three morning divisions.
TOOT TOOT: Mildura Railway Station’s platform is to be lengthened and improvements made to the passenger reception area under a plan announced yesterday. The Minister for Transport said the platform would be lengthened to help cope with the longer trains now required on the Mildura-Melbourne service. On present estimates the improvements will cost about $20,000. The popularity of Mildura as a tourist centre and The Vinelander as the way to get there prompted the Victorian railways and a number of community groups in Mildura to develop plans for upgrading the station facilities. What they hope for are facilities to match the train service now considered comparable with crack interstate expresses.
25 YEARS AGO: 1999
ON THE AIR: Mildura radio station 3MA is set to make its most significant move since it began broadcasting in 1933. On Monday October 25 the station will end almost 66 years of operation on the AM wavelength and relocate to 97.9 on the FM band. The change means the band will swap with SportsFM, which will move to 3MA’s current location on the AM dial of 1467. Station General Manager Glenn Holmes says “it means a better, more reliable signal and sound for 3MA listeners in our coverage are, who will soon receive their favourite station in crystal clear stereo.” Mr Holmes said all station personalities and regular program features would remain.
IN A HOLE: Victoria’s current political uncertainty has left the last of many environmental studies for Mildura’s proposed marina once again on the shelf. The study, which was expected to have been completed by the end of the year, requires test bore drilling across the proposed site of the marina near Chaffey Bridge. The study in question will determine the depth of the silcrete layer, a layer which separates several water tables, and the hydrological relationships of the local water tables. Findings of the study will enable developers and Mildura Rural City Council to better predict what will happen on construction of the marina basin.
ADDING UP: Mildura firm Thompsons Accountants and Advisors is the recipient of a national award for excellence. Recognized as the premier financial planning team from a network of more than 485 accounting firms, they received the highest of accolades at the recent Count Investment Conference in Hong Kong. From a small operation in 1996 with one financial planner, the division has expanded to a team of seven. “Our goal is to lead our clients to achieve their financial objectives and to protect their assets,” said Alan Williamson. “We endeavour to provide high standards of knowledge, ethics and service. To achieve the No. 1 position is a terrific acknowledgement of Thompsons’ total commitment to caring for our clients.”
