Peeps into the Past – May 25 to 31: Vice regal visit

PRESENTED by Mildura & District Historical and compiled by Mildura Rural City Council Libraries.

100 YEARS AGO: 1925

UNIFORMITY: The committee of the Red Cliffs Fruit Growers Association is considering what steps should be taken to bring together all growers that intend to market green pea’s this year. In previous market undertakings complaints have been made by individual settlers as to the uniformity in marketing methods, in some cases the lack of uniformity in marketing.

BAN: In future, the use of confetti will not be allowed on Mildura Railway Station. A regulation was recently brought in prohibiting the use at all railway stations. Therefore, wedding parties farewelling happy couples will have to express their feelings in some direction other than by showering with tiny pieces of paper.

75 YEARS AGO: 1950

CELEBRATION: Governor-General, Mr McKell and between 2000 and 3000 people were at the Mildura Recreation Reserve and saw 3000 school children, including Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Cubs and Brownies, take part in an impressive Empire Day. The Royal Standard flutters from the flagpole while members of the Mildura District Band and a guard of honour from the North Western Victorian Regiment of the Citizens Army stand at ease. The following day Mr McKell visited the the refugee camp and was received by 21 new Australians. Hungarian Eva Zeldesy with tiny Estonian flower girl Eile Seller welcomed Mr McKell accompanied by Mrs J C. Clifford, director of the Mildura Immigration Centre then they inspected a guard of honour of the Merbein Girl Guides.

SURFACE: Within a month the Sturt Highway will have bituminised surface west from Mildura for a distance of 47 miles. Construction of the road is part of Mildura Shire Council’s long-range plan to have an all-weather sealed road from Mildura to the South Australia border. One of the expensive items in the construction has been the cartage of water from Lake Cullulleraine which has cost as much as 24 pounds a day.

NURSES: When the new three-storey nurses’ home is completed, it will go a long way towards solving the hospital’s biggest worry, shortage of nurses. Matron R. Wilson said the nursing position is desperate saying “it is the worst it has been in the whole history of the hospital.” The lecture room is to be 47 feet by14ft. It will have vertical fins which run the entire height of the building on the outside wall between each set of windows. The fins project 2ft or 2ft 6 inches are to keep the direct sunlight from the tall windows making the rooms cooler in summer. The heating system, only three other buildings like it in Australia, will come from copper coils set in the concrete floors 5/8th of an inch below the surface which will carry hot water.

50 YEARS AGO: 1975

DONATION: Members and friends of the Mildura Branch of the Australian East Timor Association spent the weekend putting the finishing touches on an array of donated bicycles. About 130 have been collected and restored and are bound for East Timor to help in the country’s rebuilding. Mr Schurr said a lot were collected by the late Neil “Dusty” Rhodes, including mountain bikes, 10 speed and children’s bikes.

WHARF: Work has begun on the restoration of Mildura Wharf. A section of the wharf was closed when seven months spent under floodwater left it damaged and unsafe to walk on. Now only half the wharf area is in use and even this part is in need of repair. Unloading of logs began yesterday. Larger supporting logs are expected to arrive next week.

RENOVATION: Work costing thousands of dollars is being carried out at the Workingman’s Club. Extensions on the Associate’s lounge and when completed it will be nearly twice as large. New showers and a locker room will be constructed and the room previously known as the upstairs sports room will be the new dining room. The old dining room near the bowling greens will become the new sports room and a new hairdressing salon will be built off the front foyer.

25 YEARS AGO: 2000

APPRECIATION: The Mildura Eisteddfod Society has formally recognised the involvement and support of retired committee members with Certificates of Appreciation. The members were Roger Stirrat, Kath McCormick, Kevin Green, Jay Ashworth, Jean Smith. Absent was Pam Hawson. This year will be Mildura Eisteddfod’s 22nd year. It has run from a three-day event to over 13 days attracting 1300 entries.

HIDE: Friends of King’s Billabong were hard at work on Sunday constructing a new bird hide, one of the highlights of the Wildlife Reserve walking track. Busy at work were Kath Thomson, Keith Thomson, Val Thomson, David Moore, Pauline Follett, Gary Donnellan, Mick Campbell, and Craig Millard. Park Ranger Rob McGlashan said the Hide was expected to be completed within two months allowing birdwatching of the over 100 native bird species and wildlife.

LEGACY: In a generous gesture, the family of P/0 John Gadsden has donated his logbook, cap and many war photos to the proposed museum at the re-constructed Head Quarters Building at the Mildura Aerodrome. Gadsden was killed in a flying accident in Mildura while a member of the No 2 Operational Training Unit. He commenced his training at No 1 ITS at Somers June 1943, then posted to No 7 Elementary Training School at Western Junction, Tasmania, and won his flying wings at No 7 SFTS Deniliquin, April 8, 1943. After operational training at No 2 OTU, Mildura May 9 to July 6, 1943, he was posted to 78 Squadron flying Kittyhawk fighters in the SW Pacific Area. From November 5, 1943, to August 1944 he flew on 36 strikes and attacks on the enemy and 72 other operations from Kiriwina Island then Noenfoor Island. Targets mentioned in the Logbook were Nadzah, Shaggy Ridge, Finschafen, Hollandis and Wakde Island. Then a mission over Biak Island and 78 Squadron was congratulated by General Paul Wurthsmith U.S.5th Air Force Fighter Command for the “splendid showing” and shooting down 8 enemy aircraft. After six weeks’ leave, he was posted back to Mildura with his 78 Squadron comrade, F/Sgt Blue Connell and on his third flight their Wirraway A20 -613 crashed near Wentworth 25.10.1944. (27.5.2000)