In Wagga’s Past – 25 and 50 Years ago.

20th May 2023

Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.

25 Years Ago

• Former Essendon star and current Wagga Tigers captain-coach, Terry Daniher was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.

• Wagga City Council presented a certificate, which acknowledges her accurate and objective public reporting of council affairs to Daily Advertiser journalist, Nancy Blacklow, who has retired after 40 years to concentrate on full-time study.

• Earsman’s Dry Cleaning, staffed by brothers Rod and Garry Earsman, their sister Lee-Ann and semi-retired parents, Jack and Vi are celebrating 45 years in business.

• A new-look executive consisting of Steve Atkinson, Greg Brown, Dave Palmer, Chris Fry, Liz Richardson, John Rumens and John Dixon was appointed at the Annual General Meeting of the Wagga Chamber of Commerce and Industry attended by almost 70 business representatives at the Country Comfort Motel.

• Deputy Mayor, Kay Hull, was preselected by the National Party over two other candidates as their Federal Election Riverina candidate.

• Former Kapooka commandant, David Kibbey, was endorsed as the Liberal Party candidate for the seat of Riverina at a meeting chaired by Senator Bill Heffernan and attended by about 60 Liberal Party members.

• Pat Combs has been awarded life membership of the Daily Advertiser – 2WG City-to-Lake fun run and walk committee.

• Tony Price is the new owner of Kooringal Pharmacy in the Kooringal Mall.

• Christine Wallace, Andrew Gorman, Kim Love and Peter Earl won music scholarships sponsored by the Daily Advertiser and Wagga Rotary Club, tenable at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.

• Wagga’s Garden City Motel was sold for just under $1.7 million to local real estate agent Allan Lowry and his wife Elaine.

• Bottlemart stores are offering two free schooners with the purchase of a case of 24 Toohey’s New Stubbies for just $24.95.

• Wagga City Councillor, Mary Kidson, was elected as Country Vice-President of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association.

• Wagga was listed as among the State’s top 20 injury blackspots with 458 new major claims in the 1996-97 period.

• Kevin Kerr was elected president at the inaugural meeting of the Forest Hill Progress Association with Ray Chartres elected as vice-president and publicity officer. Alison Lindner was elected secretary, and Dianne Henry treasurer.

• Anglican Bishop the Right Reverend George Browning said that more than 40 students from across the district are expected to enrol in the new Riverina Anglican College when it opens next year.

50 Years Ago

• The Daly-Wilson Big Band is playing for one night only at Hoyts Plaza Theatre with tickets available at Palings from $2.70.

• Director of Catholic Education in the Wagga Diocese, Fr. A P Loth said a new course is being introduced into primary schools designed to teach children discrimination in their use of radio, television, and newspapers.

• Hore & Davies are selling a one-bedroom unit at “Kilnacrott” for $15,000.

• The Millwood, Catholic Old Time Ball will be held at the Euberta Hall with tickets $4 double and further information available from M Corbett.

• Mrs Bobbie Grinton sent down the first bowl for the L Grinton Cup competition at the Wagga Women’s Bowling Club watched by Mrs Beryl Letts, secretary of the club and Mrs Doreen Hutchinson, vice-president.

• Mr and Mrs K E Moore of Plumpton Road celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary.

• Wagga Girl Lynda Pratt, 18, has been awarded a certificate in horsemanship, the first person in Wagga to receive such an award.

• Mr and Mrs D Webb held a party at the Wagga City Golf Club to celebrate their son, Robert’s 21^st Birthday.

• Edmondson’s is selling Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, 16oz for 35 cents, Bushell’s Blue Label Tea 1lb for 57 cents and Golden Cob budgie feed,1lb for 15 cents.

• Eight people were killed – five of them in a head-on smash near Tumbarumba in one of the worst weekend road tolls in the Riverina.

• President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr Bob Hartwig said that the first 12 months of late-night trading in Wagga had been an outstanding success.

• Inadequate facilities forced the Wagga Tennis Association to turn down the possibility of staging the 1974 NSW hardcourt championships.

• Wagga City Council will proceed with plans to construct a concrete high-level bridge over the Murrumbidgee River East of Wagga which City Engineer, Colin Knott estimates will cost $202,000.

• Wagga High School student, Phillip Michael has been selected in the NSW Combined High Schools’ hockey team to tour South Australia.

• Twenty teams are playing in the Southern Districts annual carnival staged for the first time by the Wagga Men’s Hocket Association at Duke of Kent Park.

• Wagga Tennis Association president, Jim Elphick said that 31 teams are competing in the Association’s 1973 winter competition.

• Wagga Gliding Club president, Mr Robert Phillips said that it was hoped to attract more than 120 international glider pilots to take part in the inaugural Waikerie to Wagga cross-country event early next year.

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