Compiled from the Daily Advertiser
by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society
25 Years Ago
- Wagga woman, Phyllis de Jersey will be one of just ten people in the state to receive a prestigious Premiers award next month, recognising her service to the Wagga and District Historical Society and several other community organisations.
- Kooringal Public school student Patricia Car was one of eight entries chosen from a field of 30,000 entries in the Telstra Australia Day Phonecard design awards.
- The Statewide Firearms Buy Back Program collected more than 122,000 firearms with Wagga collecting 2533 the highest number collected by any individual centre.
- The state Government has committed $81,000 for the planning and implementation of bikeways.
- A Lake Albert paddock was littered with fifty sheep carcasses after a savage killing spree by two pet dogs.
- Council is seeking expressions of interest from local writers for an updated book of Wagga’s history in time for the 150th anniversary of the city in late 1999.
- One of Kangaroos’ brightest young prospects, Adam McCallum, won three awards at the club’s end-of-season function at the Wagga Leagues Club.
- Wagga has a new mayor, following Cr John Harding’s win by one vote over Cr Peter Dale who has been Mayor for the past two years. Cr Kay Hull retained the deputy mayor’s position, defeating Cr Kevin Wales by nine votes to six.
- Wagga businessman and sporting identity, Brian Lawrence was re-elected Wagga Leagues club president.
- The 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Kapooka, is hosting 65 children with cancer plus their families and medical support staff at its base for a week.
- David Greene, Terry Hall, Chris Mullins, and Indira Obeyeskere are pictured in the Daily Advertiser, enjoying the opening of an exhibition of works at the Wagga City Art Gallery by Charles Sturt University teachers.
- Wagga real estate agent Peter Fitzpatrick has purchased the Wagga Winery in Oura Road from current owner Don Smith.
- Wagga Leagues Club Anglers Club member Lou Karas is pictured in the Daily Advertiser with an eight-pound brown trout he hooked at Talbingo Dam.
- The Contacts team won the Wagga Netball Associations A grade premiership at Bolton Park courts on Saturday.
50 Years Ago
- Rod Kendall, 17 was one of more than 60 flyers attending the annual NSW versus Victoria Radio-controlled model plane contest held at Wagga.
- The NSW Government has accepted a tender for $270,318 from Siebels Bros. Pty Ltd, Wagga for the construction of the new Sturt Public School at Kooringal North.
- Mayor of Wagga, Alderman Morris Gissing pitched the first ball of the new Wagga softball season at French’s field.
- Peter Condon and members of the Wagga Motorcycle Club will attempt to break the world record for the long jump at this year’s Wagga Show.
- As expected, defending titleholder Jim Stenmark won the Wagga Country Golf Club Championship for the 5th successive year. Runners-up were Ken O’Meara, Ron Smith, and Ron Ball.
- More than 200 people, including Trisha Russell and Karen Kennedy, knocked on thousands of Wagga doors, collecting donations for the annual “Freedom From Hunger Campaign”, which is expected to have raised in the vicinity of $3000.
- More than 200 members attended the Riverina Weight Watchers Convention hosted by Wagga Slimmers club.
- Mount Austin High School Wolves No1 team led by Captain Chris Rath were victorious in the Riverina girls’ soccer knockout carnival at Tolland Sportsground.
- Winners of trophies presented at the North Wagga Football Club Annual end-of-season dinner are pictured in the Daily Advertiser with captain-coach Alan Hayes.
- Reverend Owen Dowling, rector of the Anglican parish. South Wagga is pictured at a farewell dinner prior to his departure for Canberra, where he will take up a position as rector in charge of St. John’s, Canberra.
- Fourth Wagga Patrol Leader, Ian Whyte, was presented with a Queens Scout Award by Leader “Russ” Read.
- Gissing’s Photo Dept, on top of the hill in Fitzmaurice Street, is advertising that now everyone can afford sound movies!
- Garry Hepburn, Ricky Ness, Glen Eagle, and Paul Hawke have won the four best and fairest awards for Wagga Tigers junior Australian Rules Football Club this season.
- Stock and station agent Ald Richard Gorman has been elected Wagga Wagga Mayor, succeeding Ald Morris Gissing who held the Mayoral Office for two terms and who now continues as Deputy Mayor.
- Top Wagga entertainment group, the Riverina Jazz Band led by John Ansell, will be featured at Woolworths Family Centre this week.
- The 3rd Annual Wagga Folk Festival is being held at Gregadoo Hall and the Wagga Civic Theatre.
- Comedian, Johnny Garfield plus “Scattered Aces” are playing in two big shows at the Leagues Club this week.
- The Riverina College of Advanced Education has been given provisional approval to conduct degree courses in all three schools, teacher education, applied science and business and liberal studies.
Membership of the Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society is open to anyone with an interest in the local and regional history of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. For more information about us and information on how to join our Society visit our website at https://www.wwdhs.org.au/about-us/members
