15th March 2025
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- The Court of Criminal Appeal, the highest Court in New South Wales, sat in Wagga for the first time.
- Haven Resident Tosca Ronning is pictured celebrating her 104 birthday with friends Alice Swan and Olive Blakely who will both turn 102 in June.
- Mayor Kevin Wales and Council transport and subdivision manager, Gary Gaffney met with residents and businesspeople in relation to the controversial Copland Street and Lake Albert Road intersection.
- Justice James Wood, Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery QC, Justice Michael Grove and Chief Justice, James Spiegelman were among those attending the official opening of the relocated Wagga region Director of Public Prosecution office.
- As petrol prices soar towards $1 per litre, local petrol price campaigner, Ken McLeod is calling for a grass roots campaign to boycott fuel for three days.
- Phil Tokley of the Lake Village Auto Port believes that motorists would be better off expressing their anger to the Federal Government and the rising level of fuel excise on petrol
- Bill Anscombe was the guest speaker at the annual general meeting of Reconciliation Wagga.
- Another eight shops are to be added to Wagga’s Sturt Mall in a million dollar plus expansion of the shopping centre.
- 13-year-old Anthony Brody who was recently victorious in the NSW State Cross Country Championships will soon jet off to America to compete in a series of cross-country events.
- Christopher Arico, James Hassell and teacher Anne Cullen are pictured enjoying their crazy hats at the Wagga Public School Fete.
- Chairman of the Wagga Urban Landcare Group, Matthew Hurst, said that one third of land recently sold for housing development could be affected by salinity and that the area of concern is growing.
- Wagga’s Greek community held a Hellenic dancing night which raised $7000 for the Radiotherapy Cancer Centre Appeal.
- Burtons are holding an antique and modern arms fair at the Kyeamba Smith function centre, this weekend.
- After almost a year with no local pub, Pleasant Hills residents are confident that they will open their own pub shortly with a community-based hotel licence.
- A new water bore sunk for Wagga City Council in Murray Street will stop council having to draw water from the Murrumbidgee River for the watering of civic gardens and Collins Park.
- A council survey revealed an alarming 22 empty shops of the eastern side of Baylis Street with many Baylis Street shop owners blaming the recent controversial main street upgrade for a fall in customer numbers.
50 Years Ago
- Hardy’s have launched a complete Home Improvement Service managed by Les Mouat, an experienced builder, to assist customers with home renovations and building additions.
- The top point scorers in Little Athletics in Wagga, Deanne Lillis and Stephen Smith, both come from the eight years division and are pictured with Peter Reid, a director the Riverina Australian Football Club where Little Athletics Club hold their meetings.
- Mr Garth Crisp has been elected president of the Wagga Eisteddfod Society on the retirement of Mr W L Hurd. Vice-presidents are Charles Wilson and Jack Skeers with Gerry Baxter as the new secretary, assisted by Mrs Lee Smith who did not seek reappointment as secretary.
- Dennis Blackett won the best actor of the year award for his part in the School of Arts comedy “Barefoot in the Park” and is pictured with Louise Blackett who was also in the production.
- More than 200 men celebrated the second annual old players reunion at the Riverina Australian Football Club.
- The new Wagga City Council Art Gallery was officially opened.
- Huthwaites are selling Irish linen tea towels from 99 cents each.
- 2 door and 3 door Honda Civic cars are now available from Jack Skeers and Co Honda Centre in Fitzmaurice Street.
- Mr Hugh Gladman began work this week as assistant manager at the Bomen abattoir.
- Gregadoo Rural Youth, A grade debating team comprising Michael Chamberlain, Allan Brown and Ray Brown has qualified to compete in the Statewide Rural Youth debating contests this year.
- Two Wagga High School students will have their photographs hung at the Wagga Leagues Club in recognition of their services to sport. They are Roslyn Dubedat for tennis and Ian Merritt for cricket.
- Visiting Baptist Minister, Reverend Ron Baker, said that Wagga’s biggest social problems were alcoholism, drug abuse, broken homes and runaway children.
- A slimmers club has been formed at Mount Austin High School with forty girls meeting once a week at the school with Mrs Faye Sanderson and several other teachers at the school.
- Wagga land developers labelled as “scandalous” a new $500 Council charge to be levied on all blocks of land which are rezoned in the future for residential development.
- A special service is being held in the Wesley Church to mark the retirement of Mr Bill Hurd after more than 30 years as choirmaster of the Wesley Choir.
- Ron Jennings (RSL) narrowly defeated Kevin Scanlon (Leagues Club) to become the leading allrounder in the Wagga Cricket Association this season.
- More than 370 entries have been received for the third Riverina Open Junior Tennis Championships to be held this weekend in Wagga.
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
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