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

14th December 2024

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

25 Years Ago

• Most Wagga service stations have held firm in the face of Ashmont AutoPort selling unleaded petrol for 79.9 cents per litre up to five cents per litre cheaper than some outlets.

• Wagga City Council signed an agreement with the Wagga and District Historical Society giving Council control of the Society’s Museum on Willans Hill for the next 25 years.

• Former principal of Fitzpatrick’s Real Estate, Peter Fitzpatrick has retired after more than 25 years in the real estate field.

• Jill Tory was among the Ulysses Motorcycle Club members who took part in the annual Ulysses Christmas Toy Run.

• James Cloak joined Bill Reed and Craig Dohl to win South Wagga Bowling Club’s Herb Belling triples tournament.

• Well known greyhound identity Frank “Tiger” Berry was rewarded for four decades of service with life membership of the Wagga Greyhound Club.

• South Wagga Public School exchange teacher Carla Miller is returning to her Minneapolis home after spending the past year in Wagga.

• Christmas Trees are available for $5 at Legacy House.

• Optometrist Peter Russell returned to Wagga after treating people in Nepal for the last three weeks.

• Tourism Wagga donated ten flags for this years annual Christmas displays in Athol Street.

• Kooringal High School’s new amphitheatre has been officially named the Robert Stanley White Amphitheatre.

• The Asthma Foundation donated $500 to the Radiotherapy Appeal and have challenged other organisations to match it.

• Richard Braid presented the Wagga Motors perpetual trophy to Nathan Giunco who won the Wagga Go-kart Club’s pointscore.

• Former North Sydney player, Paul Heffernan will return to Wagga next year to play with Wagga Kangaroos in Group Nine.

• Mount Austin pupils bid Dot Sanbrook farewell on her final day at the school.

• More than 200 cracked pavers in the final stage of the Baylis Street upgrade will be replaced by late next month.

• Council has allocated $200,000 for construction of a community skatepark at Bolton Park.

• Delays and a massive blowout in costs are again causing delays in the construction of 15 outdoor netball courts and associated facilities at the Equex site in Kooringal Road.

• Wagga’s James Morgan is the new Wiradjuri representative on the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council.

• Junee’s historic Loftus Hotel was sold at auction on a walk-in walk-out basis for $30,000 to Junee chemist Mike Brosso.

50 Years Ago

• Entrants in the 1974 Miss Wagga Quest underwent final judging at Noah’s Townhouse with the name of the winner placed in a sealed envelope to be opened at the crowning ceremony on New Years Eve.

• NSW State Opposition Leader Mr Neville Wran who is in Wagga to address the Wagga ALP annual dinner at the Leagues Club called for major reforms to the present local government rating systems.

• Mrs Dorothy Osmond was the lucky winner of a Toyota Corolla car when the Wagga branch of the Spastic Council of NSW concluded its successful Art Union.

• Michelle Shoemark, Kaylene Walker and Cathy Irwin are pictured showing their boomerang technique during a day camp organised by the Sport and Recreation Service of NSW at the Borambola National Fitness Camp.

• The John Macarthur Hotel is advertising “Lunch with Santa Claus” on December 19^th which includes a children’s basket luncheon for 50 cents.

• South Wagga Rotary Community Service Director, Ron Jewell presented a cheque for $200 to Mrs Anne Wheelan, president of the Wagga auxiliary of the NSW Society for Crippled Children.

• Keryle Burke, Sharon Cook, Michele Knott and Karen Dewey are a few of the many stars in the Children’s Theatre Workshop production of “The Little Star”.

• Wagga Amateur Basketball Association wound up its senior spring competition with Riverina College of Advanced Education dominating the finals series.

• Wagga’s new Stipendiary Magistrate is Mr Brian Eland who has been a magistrate in Dubbo for four and a half years. He has replaced Mr Pat Smith who was transferred to Gosford after a lengthy stay in Wagga.

• Wagga City Council increased its general rate for 1975 by 28.48 per cent after also pruning its draft estimates by more than $100,000.

• Wagga water users will pay just under 50 per cent more next year with the Southern Riverina County Council lifting the minimum water charge.

• Wagga City Council is considering the development of land on the corner Red Hill Road and Bourke Streets into a major sporting complex.

• Top sporting awards at Wagga High School have gone to two boys and two girls. Special mention was made of the outstanding achievements of Belinda Paul in hockey and swimming with special awards also made to Philip Michael, Roslyn Dubedat and Gavin Larkins.

• A fine piece of riding by Bob Nicholl on his TY250 gave him outright victory in the Wagga Motor Sports Club’s enduro trail ride.

• Community Aid Abroad is celebrating its 21^st birthday.

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