100 YEARS AGO
FIRE: Mildura residents were startled on Saturday night by the ringing of the fire bell. Quite a commotion was caused in the Star and Wonderland Theatres by many persons hurrying outside. The brigade under Captain W Francis turned out in quick time, the outbreak was at 34 Seventh Street, the home of Mr A Bye, a steward at The Workingman’s Club. The four-roomed wood and iron dwelling was well alight – after a strenuous battle only the shell was left and charred furniture remains – all was insured.
FRUIT: The importation of bananas into Mildura is prohibited by law. When a skin of one was picked up in the business section of Deakin Avenue on Tuesday morning there was a call for comment. Someone has infringed the law and that person whether ignorant of the law or not, should be publicly reminded that he or she is morally an offender and guilty of a punishable act.
COLOUR: The Mildura District Council of the ADFA is calling a meeting of Mildura fruit growers to place before them all available information in regard to the Greek process of cold dipping fruit to secure better colour. Keen interest has been aroused in the effort to improve the standard of the pack and to produce a sample that will have an appearance equal to that of fruit against which the Australian product has to compete overseas.
75 YEARS AGO
APPEAL: Mildura Settlers’ Club and Workingman’s Club have each contributed £200 to Mildura RSL’s Memorial Clubrooms Appeal. These with the contribution from Wentworth and District Services’ Club was a nice gesture as there they have just started the club themselves. Cost of the clubrooms which will be built on the present site of the Memorial Hall will be £25,000. The annual car raffle is part of the clubrooms appeal – a good start has so far gathered £250 – a modified ground plan and perspective sketch of the clubrooms will be available at the quarterly meeting.
UNIVERSITY: Melbourne University Mildura Branch, established three years ago, is fast drawing to a close, and most of the students leave for Melbourne tonight. Studying for their first examination, packing and returning equipment to the store and saying farewell to Mildura friends made the last week fly for students. Yesterday saw the students returning to the store their electric irons and selling back furniture purchased from the branch at the beginning of the year. Many are collecting their friends’ examination numbers for future reference. A student said that it was a great pity that everything had to be done in this last week and were sure it would affect exam results.
GUIDES: Representing nine district companies at Girl Guides, about 150 Guides assembled in Kenny Park, Merbein for a rally. The rally commemorated the visit to Sunraysia two years ago of the Leader of the Guide movement, Lady Baden Powell and also afforded an opportunity for the signing, by district guides, of the memorial book, which is to be forwarded to Britain. Acting Divisional Commissioner, Mrs C Kneebone presided and Guider Mrs M Lester, of the Mildura Branch of the University of Melbourne, was in charge of the parade.
50 YEARS AGO
FIRE: Firefighters used the Karpa Kora Mail Road as a fire break when a bushfire swept out of control on three stations. By 5pm, 50 members of three fire brigades had the fire under control but not before it had destroyed about 10,000 acres. Fire fighters from Karpo Kora, Menindee and Darnick Brigades used four large water tankers and about 30 smaller units. One fire was about 12 miles round, the flames were 14ft high – no rain fell with the storm that started the outbreak – one man ran two miles through scorching heat to alert the station owner. A Sunraysia Daily plane flew over much of the bushfire area and smoke from the fire on Chowilla Station blacked out Lake Victoria, a dense cloud of smoke at one stage was so thick that the pilot and passenger could not see the aircraft’s wingtips.
EXHAUST FAN: Household exhaust fans and some air conditioners are essential to prevent condensation and mould infestation in the home. The average adult inhales about a pound of moisture while sleeping during the night. Exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms greatly assist with the removal of cooking fumes, steam and excessive moisture – air conditioners will help in drying the air where heavy condensation is present.
FLIPPERS: It was decided at a meeting attended by 16 people, to form an Irymple Little Flippers Club. The highly successful Little Flippers Club was first formed in Sunraysia four years ago by the Red Cliffs Swimming Club. Children are taught weekly by volunteer instructors and organisers using unique methods.
25 YEARS AGO
GRAVES: Mildura City Council has endorsed a proposal from Antonia Chaffey to restore the Chaffey Graves. Ms Chaffey was involved in the two palimpsest in Mildura and came to appreciate certain environmental and historical issues associated with her ancestors. She plans to replace the concrete edging around the graves with sandstone and to re-surface the beds with crushed marble. A commemorate garden in front of the site, used to sit and reflect, will use plant species indigenous to the area.
PARADE: The artistic director for the symbolic lantern parade through Mildura on New Year’s Eve wants at least 5000 people to join in the spirit of the new century dining. Francis van der Mark, appointed by Mildura Rural City Council hopes at least 1000 special lanterns will glow in the night sky. He has been conducting a series of lantern-making workshops – about 150 have already been made with 700 business members throwing their support into the parade. The lanterns made out of bamboo, tissue paper and held together by glue, were simple to make.
PARALYMPIAN: Red Cliffs East Primary students will be following next year’s Olympic Games with a great deal of interest when they watch their adopted “hero” take to the floor in the sport of wheelchair rugby. Former local Pete Harding visited the students to promote wheelchair rugby describing it as fast moving, high impact sport with plenty of bashes and crashes. It’s a four-a-side competition which has four, eight-minute quarters with extra time added for penalties and timeouts. As with able-bodied rugby, points are scored when the ball is carried through the end-zone. Peter said he trains five days a week and plays the role of blocker and gets knocked out of his chair a lot.
