12th August 2023
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- Long-serving councillor of Kyeamba Shire and Wagga City Council Bob Osborne was recognised with the official opening of the Bob Osborne Skills Centre by Noel Hicks MP.
- Members of the Citizens Reform Group, Don Solah, Michelle Apps, Laurie Richardson, Jim Eldridge, and Amanda Creed launched their campaign for council seats at the next election.
- Well-known businessman and golfing identity, Les Bagley, aged 77, died at Wagga Base Hospital after collapsing at Wagga Golf Club.
- Mount Erin student, Phillipa Lancaster won the regional Legacy Junior Public Speaking competition and will now compete at State Level.
- Wagga Ambulance station officer, Terry Nelson who joined the service 26 years ago in Wagga is moving to Warilla and the Ambulance Service’s Southern Operations Centre.
- Garry Button, Steven Marks, Peter Cooper, Andrew Harmer, Garry Hoffman, and Peter Daniher were among those who enjoyed the Turvey Park Australian Football Club’s Black-Tie Ball.
- Reverend Father Polykarpos has been appointed parish priest at Wagga’s Greek Orthodox Church.
- Doctor Ian Stewart and organist Heather Lucas are among those preparing for the 90th-anniversary celebrations of the pipe organ at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church this weekend.
- Andrew Sanders was appointed as the new administrative manager of the Australian Clay Target Association.
- Kooringal High School student Jodie McLeod has won the Riverina regional title in the Sydney Morning Herald young writer competition and will now compete at State level.
- Long-time bridge partners, Val Hopwood and Mollie Parnell are among those preparing for the Wagga Leagues Bridge Club 20th annual congress this weekend.
- Kathryn Clark is representing Australia at the World Duathlon Championships in Germany.
- Abbeyfield House was officially opened by Housing Minister Craig Knowles.
- Mount Austin High School Year 10 students participated in a 2.4-kilometre run around the school’s boundary as part of a Department of School Education program.
- The $50 million Wagga to Wodonga natural gas pipeline was officially opened by NSW Energy Minister, Bob Debus and Victorian Treasurer, Alan Stockdale.
- Coroner, Sev Hill ruled that the fire which ripped through Wagga’s Cafe Tuscany last year was deliberately set.
- Wagga and Albury city Councils are banding to work towards a Very Fast Train (VFT) service between Sydney and Melbourne following last week’s announcement about a $3.5 billion VFT connection between Sydney and Canberra.
50 Years Ago
- A 12-year-old schoolboy, Geoffrey Hooper and his grandfather Mr Bob Brunskill dominated the pig section at the 1973 Wagga Show Society Hoof and Hook competition.
- About 40 food preparation workers at the Riverina College of Advanced Education voted to continue their strike indefinitely.
- Former State ALP candidate, Mr Jack Skeers issued a challenge to Mr Ken Fletcher, president of the ALP’s Wagga Electoral Council to publicly debate “Storekeepers and Inflation”.
- Wagga Apex Club held its 41st handover dinner with Frank Fountain who is taking over as president from John Spinks installed by District Governor, Rodney Parsons.
- Murrumbidgee Turf Club chairman, Mr Ossie Tyson has replaced his brother, Arthur as a member of the NSW Totalisator Agency Board.
- Grade champions, Mrs June McDonald, Mrs Phyllis McGeachie, Mrs Judy Beck, and Mrs Daph Bagley were presented with trophies at the Wagga City Golf Club.
- Official guests at the recent Mt Austin Guides Local Association Ball at the Wagga Police Boys Club included Mrs R Lord, Mrs D Strutt, Mrs D Phipps, Mrs M Hedley, Mrs E Graham and the Mayor, Ald R Gorman.
- Mr Jim Stenmark captain of the Wagga Country Club is pictured in the Daily Advertiser chatting with Mr Jim Mooney, captain of the St Michael’s Club team which defeated the Yarra Yarra Club of Melbourne in an inter-capital pennant golf match.
- Wagga City Council has proposed a growth plan which would allow Wagga and District to increase its population to more than 300,000 by the turn of the century.
- Detailed design work has been completed for the Edward Street underpass has been completed by the Department of Main Roads.
- Mr G K Dunn, chairman of the board of Riverina and North East Victoria TV Ltd announced strong growth over the past year with revenue increasing 19 per cent.
- President of Community Aid Abroad, Mr Graeme Wallace-Smith said that 974 walkers collected between $5000 and $6000 in Wagga’s annual “Walk Against Want”.
- The Daily Advertiser published its annual “Riverina Unlimited” feature which this year ran to 52 pages.
- Rain has hampered work to some extent but workmen, committeemen, directors, office staff and other officials are working at a fever pitch for the opening of the new Riverina Australian Rules Football Club this weekend.
- About 200 walkers participated in the Rock Central School walkathon to the summit of the Rock.
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
