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

5th October 2024

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

25 Years Ago

• Wagga Mayor, Kevin Wales joined Junee Mayor, Lola Cummins for the unveiling of signage marking the start of long waited works on the Junee-Bomen Road.

• Member for Riverina, Kay Hull officially opened the Wagga Business Expo organised by the Business Enterprise Centre at the Bolton Park Stadium.

• The Haven has set a fund-raising target of $5 million to finance improvements to cope with a squeeze on aged care accommodation as baby boomers move towards retirement age.

• Mayor, Kevin Wales, in one of his first official duties oversaw a citizenship ceremony for seven people becoming Australian citizens.

• More than 200 clay target shooters from all over New South Wales and Victoria are in Wagga for the New South Wales Clay Target Association Championships.

• Wagga businessman, Gil Mathew is pictured celebrating his 50^th birthday with family members, Byrn, 11, Rhys, 13, Margaret and Skye, 17.

• Patrick O’Donoghue won the RUA umpire of the year award for the second successive year.

• Jim David, Marbuc Petersen, Bruce Delaney, Brian Hay, Peter McAlister, Chris Mortimer, Bob Honeysett and Frank Hyde were among those attending the Wagga Magpies 75-year-reunion at the Wagga Leagues Club.

• Former principal, Graham Kennedy and Brother David Standen and Brother Matt McKeon were among those attending a St Michael’s Regional High School reunion.

• President, Arthur Nixon, said that Wagga Probus Club had raised $550 for the Radiotherapy Appeal during an excursion to local RAAF and Kapooka Cases.

• Kelli Fuller and her daughter Georgia are pictured at the opening the new Cancer Council shop in the Sturt Mall.

• Pat and Max Sydenham and Ray and Irene Miller celebrated their 50^th Wedding Anniversaries.

• Betty Power is pictured attending the 1999 Quota Rotary Art Show held at Wagga Technology High School.

• Ryneharts Ladies Classic Fashions opposite Grace Brothers in Baylis Street are advertising a Sunday Sale with 20% off summer stock.

• Wagga City Council manager of property development, Victoria Dalglish, confirmed that a lease agreement was expected to be signed soon for Wagga’s Tourist Caravan Park which has stood empty since May this year.

• Southern Rivers Police Command which includes Wagga, Albury, Deniliquin, Cootamundra, Griffith and Goulburn area commands topped the State over the long weekend with 1061 speeding offences recorded.

50 Years Ago

• Two men were killed, and 1000 sheep and cattle killed in a flash flood which swept five vehicles from the Hume Highway at Tarcutta.

• The infamous Edward Street level crossing claimed another life when a 46-year-old man was killed instantly in an accident with a mail train.

• Vandals, thought to be young children smashed 46 windows in a new block of flats being built by real estate agent, Peter McCoullough in Marloo Crescent, Kooringal.

• Nancy Blacklow stars as “Evie” in the Wagga School of Arts production of the musical “Stop the World I Want to Get Off” opening soon at the Civic Theatre.

• Paul Muir received the Magpies best and fairest player award presented at the club’s 50^th Jubilee Ball on Saturday evening.

• Virginia Alberni aged 10 was winner of the National Character Dancing at the Wagga Eisteddfod.

• St Pauls Anglican Parish is holding a Baby Show and Fete on Saturday.

• Leo Berben is interim chairman of a community action group being formed to support residents in Kooringal with almost a quarter of Wagga’s new homes now located in the suburb.

• Wet weather over three days resulted in the Wagga Show, recording perhaps the worst attendances in its history.

• Nineteen-year-old Gianna Pastro, a nurse at Wagga Base Hospital, was named Miss Showgirl 1974 at the Wagga Show.

• Following representations from the Women’s Electoral Lobby and other groups, Member for Wagga, Mr Wal Fife, said that one or more policewomen may be appointed to permanent duty in Wagga before the end of the year.

• Chief Secretary and Minister for Sport, Mr Griffith, told Wagga Tennis Association officials including President Jim Elphick and Secretary Ross Deaner that there would be no State Government support for the proposed major tennis complex at Bolton Park.

• Model aeroplane teams from New South Wales and Victoria are competing for the Merv Howard Hobby Centre Trophy at the Connorton Fields, Uranquinty.

• Pat Clark, the only woman elected to Wagga City Council, will start the curtain raiser match between ladies’ teams from Turvey Park and North Wagga at the Riverina Umpires Australian Football Fiesta at Maher Park this Sunday.

• Celebrations commemorating 50 years of continuous Anglican services at Galore, and the Golden Jubilee of the Galore Public Hall will be held this Sunday.

• Eight servicemen from the Kapooka Military Area and two other men appeared in Wagga Petty Session on charges relating to smoking, possession and supply of Indian Hemp.

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