Compiled from the Daily Advertiser
by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society
25 Years Ago
- Work has begun on demolition of the Koala Welcome Inn as the $25 million redevelopment of the Sturt Mall gets under way.
- Emergency services collected $3755 in a street collection to assist victims of the Port Arthur Massacre.
- Plans for a two storey Wagga Sporting Hall of Fame to be constructed at Wagga’s Tourist Information Centre were released by Wagga City Council director of Recreational Services, Kerry Geale.
- Health Minister, Andrew Refshauge announced that Wagga will be the headquarters of the new Greater Murray Health Service.
- Daily Advertiser managing editor, Graham Gorrel has been appointed to the board of the Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers Association.
- Mayor, Peter Dale, recommended to Council that council rates be increased by 2.7 per cent next financial year.
- Anne Muller was awarded life membership of the Wagga Ladies Probus Club at a special luncheon.
- Bill and Linda Douglas celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends at the Locksley Steakhouse.
- Chairman, Bruce Rodely, announced that the Energy South corporate office would be based in Queanbeyan, ending speculation that it would be based in either Albury or Wagga.
- Australian artist, Arthur Boyd donated a painting entitled “The Snake” to the Wagga City Art Gallery.
- Mount Austin High School student, Lee Cox, won five gold, two silver and one bronze medal at the Southern Cross Games for the visually handicapped held at Canberra.
- The Townhouse Motor Inn is advertising a $19.95 Grande Seafood Buffet for Mother’s Day which includes champagne and a chrysanthemum for Mum.
- Bill Denton won a Holden Astra and groceries in the Daily Advertiser’s “Win a car full of groceries” promotion.
- Town Crier, Adrian Keely was on duty at the Kurrajong-Waratah Fair this week.
- Donald Cant from the original Australian cast of “Phantom of the Opera” performed at the Wagga Civic Theatre.
50 Years Ago
- Edmondsons are to install escalators in their Gurwood Street Store, the first to be installed by any Wagga business.
- Wagga’s new telephone exchange which will house complex STD equipment has been completed at a cost of $600,000.
- Computerised fare meters have been installed in three Wagga Taxis.
- Drum Major, Ken Brown led the St. Andrews’s Heather Pipe Band through the hall during the 20th Grand Scottish Ball where twenty girls made their debut.
- Wagga Base Hospital Board chairman, Mr L Kennedy announced that the Hospitals Commission of NSW has approved the fitting out of the new coronary care unit at the hospital.
- Wagga’s telephone courtesy week was officially opened by the Oberburgermeister of Nordlingen, Dr Hermann Kessler in an 11,000-mile telephone conversation with Wagga’s Mayor, Ald. M Gissing.
- 4th Wagga Scout, Ian Cosier was presented with his Queens Scout Award by Scoutmaster, Dudley Drake and is one of two Wagga District boys chosen to attend the World Jamboree in Japan in August.
- The Wagga and District Historical Society is combining with the Institute of Riverina Studies to survey domestic architecture in Wagga.
- Phill Englebrecht, Jim McLean and Kevin Dykes from Wagga Lions Club presented a heart monitoring machine valued at $1030 to Sister Ignatius at Calvary Hospital.
- Wagga schoolteacher, Margaret Fleming has an open invitation to return to Wagga’s sister-city Nordlingen to study the German language following a recent visit there during a working holiday.
- NSW Assistant Police Commissioner, Mr D H M Campbell visited Wagga while on a tour of country police stations.
- Replicas of the British Crown Jewels bought to Wagga by Airlines of NSW, Hore and Davies Travel Service and Wagga Travel Service are on exhibition in a caravan near Airlines of NSW in Forsyth Street.
- Edmondson’s is advertising Devondale Ice-cream, ½ gallon for 68 cents, Rinso, 20oz pack for 42 cents and Birds Eye Green Peas, 24oz pack for 37 cents.
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
