Compiled from the Daily Advertiser
by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society
25 Years Ago
- The 50-year evolution of Miss Wagga gowns, crowns and orbs are featured in a display at Grace Bros. while many former Quest winners attended a Jubilee Dinner to celebrate 50 years of the Miss Wagga Quest.
- Storms lashed the Riverina causing widespread damage and left Wagga’s Base Hospital straining to cope with an influx of asthma sufferers.
- Ben Pitstock and Royal Lifesaving Societies Riverina manager, Andrai Stockwell are pictured at a display set up at the Sturt Mall as part of National Drowning Prevention Day.
- Despite driving rain, a group of women and a few men walked the length of Wagga’s main street in a “Reclaim the Night” rally organised by Gabriele Winter to highlight the problem of domestic and sexual violence against women.
- Steve Withers, Tracie Burr, Ben Buttifant, Lisa Sewell, Kerry Flynn, Rob, and Annette Richards, Gerrie Rose, Steve Filewood and Sarah Larwood are pictured in the Daily Advertiser enjoying a night out at the Daily Advertiser – Real Estate Institute awards dinner.
- Councillor Kevin Wales is pictured in the Daily Advertiser having a chat with former Alderman Arthur French at the Caloola Court Spring Fair.
- The Wagga High School class of 1957 held a reunion at the Commercial Club while the Mount Austin class of 1976 held their reunion at the Tolland Hotel.
- Roy and Thelma McMeekin celebrated 65 years of marriage and Roy celebrated his 95th birthday.
- Former Wagga City Councillor, Joe Mason-Cox is not at all impressed with the proposed upgrade of Baylis Street saying, “It’s going to be bad for the city” and that it “doesn’t help Main Street businesses.
- Councillor and former police chief inspector Kevin Wales expressed his appreciation to Ross Ingram for his fifteen years of service as a director at the Riverina Australian Rules Football Club.
- Eighteen young people from Wagga and towns such as Holbrook, Ariah Park and Coolamon have formed a Young Nationals Party branch in Wagga with Bill Turner as chairman and Daniel Lloyd as Secretary/Treasurer.
- San Isadore couple, Peter and Lena Saboisky who married in Germany in 1947 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
- Police arrested two juveniles in relation to a daring armed robbery at the Shell Wagga Auto Port in Edward Street.
- A Wagga drug peddler who admitted buying heroin from the notorious Vietnamese 5T gang at Cabramatta was jailed for a minimum term of three years.
- About 30 people attended the launch of the “Inclusive Community Group” an almost all-woman ticket headed by former Councillor, Roger Gregory with Wagga mother Sandra Beazley ranked number two.
50 Years Ago
- With at least 600 children of preschool age in Wagga denied the opportunity of pre-schooling a seminar at the Riverina College of Advanced Education considered the needs of early childhood education.
- Mr Graham Irons from Hunters has installed closed circuit cameras in the store to deter shoplifting which Det. Sgt. John Cameron of Wagga police says is disproportionately high in Wagga.
- Retiring Chamber of Commerce President, Robert Hartwig said late-night shopping hours were to be reviewed soon with questionnaires on the subject having been distributed to selected retailers.
- Huthwaite’s are selling “Actil Baby Naps” (nappies) for $7.99 a dozen.
- It’s Honda week and Miss Honda, Laurine Pratt was in Wagga helping local agent, Jack Skeers to promote the brand.
- Wagga teachers voted against a 24-hour State-wide strike at an after-school meeting attended by almost 300 teachers.
- Members of the Riverina Australian Rules Club building committee, Max Sydenham, Dick Siebels and Barry Sloan are pictured in the Daily Advertiser staking out the proposed site for the Club’s new building.
- Eddie Charlton is among those competing in heats of the Australian Professional Snooker Championships held at the Wagga RSL Club.
- Norm Smith formerly coach of Melbourne and South Melbourne and now Ron Barassi’s assistant at North Melbourne addressed a meeting of the Riverina Sportsmen’s Association at the Wagga RSL Club.
- The Los Angeles Helldrivers are at the Wagga Showgrounds with a show described as “2½ hours of the most dangerous show on earth”.
- President of the William Farrer Sporting Club, Mr M Bunter presented a cheque for $220 to Sister Stephen for the Wagga Home of Compassion.
- The Wagga & District Car Club Motorkhana held at Kurrajong reserve was described as the best ever held.
- Wagga district agronomist, Mr Ken Simmons said that wheat acreage sown in the area was 23 per cent more than last year.
- Well-known Wagga businessman and sportsman, Mr Ian Bell has been appointed Australian country franchise manager for Cottee’s soft drink division.
- Wagga policeman, Constable Bob Quarmby, became a graduate member of the Automotive Mechanical Engineers of Australia.
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
