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

11th January 2025

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

25 Years Ago

• Kendell Airlines chief executive, Geoff Breust has resigned after almost 12 years with the company.

• Carlton and United Breweries and the Wagga branch of the Australian Hoteliers Association are raffling a Ford AU utility to raise funds for the Riverina Radiotherapy Cancer Centre Appeal.

• New Wagga Beach Caravan Park lessee, Charlie Ryals is looking forward to the challenge of improving the park which reopened last month after being closed for six months.

• James Bragg, a former Wagga High School student is packing his bags for Denmark where he will spend a year participating in a Rotary exchange experience.

• Students from around Australia are attending the 13^th annual Riverina School of Strings on the Wagga campus of Charles Sturt University.

• Elaine Davis, Sue McRae, Jenny Koslowski and Marg Dennis were among nurses attending a reunion of nurses from Wagga Base Hospital’s 1970 intake held at Romano’s Hotel.

• Wagga’s Townhouse Motor Inn is about to undertake major renovations costing almost $2 million which will mean it will soon be able to boast the only four-and-a-half rating in Wagga.

• Wagga Veteran’s Games president, Julie Hoy and secretary Rhonda Sullivan are pictured in the Daily Advertiser glancing over the official program for the event set to be staged in Wagga in March.

• Lucy (Marzie) Mulrooney celebrated her 100^th birthday at the Wendy Hucker Nursing Home and is pictured in the Daily Advertiser with her sons, Don, Ken and Dave.

• Wagga Croquet Club is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this week.

• The burgeoning financial debt of the Greater Murray Area Health Service (GMAHS) was placed in the spotlight during a visit to Wagga by John Menadue the chairman of the New South Wales Health Council.

• More than 200 visitors are expected to attend the New South Wales Country Climbing Championships at Vertical Reality in Wagga with the event predicted to generate $40,000 in the city according to Michael Maher of Tourism Wagga.

• Long serving, Southern District Racing Association chief steward, Michael Hickey, announced his retirement.

• The Riverina’s much anticipated rural clinical school managed by the University of New South Wales and with head of school, Mohamed Khadra is on track with the first intake of students to begin studies in March.

• Premier, Bob Carr said that poker machines across New South Wales would be monitored electronically under plans to maintain tight control over gaming and racing industries.

• Wagga triathlete, Brad Kahlefeldt, smashed the record at the Wagga Swimming Club’s annual swimathon adding an extra eight laps to the record of 176 laps.

• Member for Riverina, Kay Hull said that the number of Wagga people receiving Youth Allowance or Newstart payments had risen to 2463.

50 Years Ago

• Wagga schoolgirl Michelle Berrigan won the girls under 15 singles at the New South Wales Hardcourt Age tennis championships in Sydney.

• Mr Eric Sullivan who has been licensee of the Home Hotel for 35 years has handed over to a new licensee, Mrs Anne Hannabury.

• Four Wagga girls, Maxine Shilton, Shirley Peadon, Meredith Shaw and Janet Sutherland have been welcomed into the 4^th Wagga Rover Crew, previously limited to male members.

• Sporting Editor and trotting writer, Ted Ryder, presented the Daily Advertiser Rising Star Stakes trophy to Eddie White owner of Noted Prince who won the event by eight metres at the Wagga Trots this week.

• Three Wagga children, Kim Gardiner, Joanne and Wayne Stephenson are pictured at the bubbler at the Wagga Baths.

• A ripple bed valued at $200 was presented to the Wendy Hucker Nursing Home by the Beranghi Association which represents Freemasons of the Wagga District.

• Wagga City Council has provided its Art Gallery Director, Alf Morris with $1,000 to “purchase a painting of national importance”.

• New positions are being advertised for Generalist Community Nurses and a Baby Health Centre Sister in Wagga.

• Huthwaites are selling IXL canned sliced peaches, 822g for 36 cents, Leetona 1½ pint canned fruit juice for 25 cents and Streets ice cream 2 litres for 69 cents.

• Knights Meats Wholesale are selling 10 lb packs of loin chops $4.00, or minced steak $2.90 and thick sausages $2.90.

• Wagga’s first woman constable, Miss Vicki McCrohon began her first country assignment after joining the police department in 1969.

• The Riverina College of Advanced Education is one of two colleges of advanced education in the state to offer a diploma course in nursing this March.

• President, Norm Byng, announced that the first fortnightly meeting for the year of Wagga Jaycees will be held this week at Rod’s Bistro in Baylis Street.

• Wagga City Council has shelved the idea of eventually closing the old Wagga Cemetery deciding at this weeks Council meeting that the issue should be “left in abeyance”.

• One of Australia’s leading pop singers, Ronnie Burns, will be appearing at the Wagga Leagues Club social on Sunday night.

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