21st February 2026
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- Wagga has again recorded a population decline to 55,705, with almost 500 people choosing to leave the city during the year to 30th June 2000. In contrast, Griffith’s population has increased by 551 people to 23,789.
- Eastern Airlines is entering the local air services market, offering 13 return flights each week to Sydney at an introductory price of $88 one-way between Wagga and Sydney, which has been matched by existing carriers, Kendell and Hazelton.
- Students of all ages are pictured farewelling popular Kooringal Public School assistant principal, John Brasier, who is retiring after 40 years of teaching, which began in 1961 as the sole teacher at Borambola Public School.
- Willans Hill Special School took out an award for being the tidiest in the State. Captains Danni Florey and Justin Donaldson are pictured with last year’s captains, Anita Manning and Jason Mayers, displaying some of the bird-attracting native plants at the school.
- Ambulance officers are trialling a new uniform with Wagga Station Officer, Eamonn Purcell, pictured wearing the new uniform alongside Station Officer Terry Ryan wearing the current uniform.
- Stephen Pike, who recently became a partner at accountancy firm Easdown & Partners, is pictured with other partners Andrew Roberston, Damien Molloy and Jan Pallister.
- Wagga is mourning the death at 85 years of age of well-known businessman, Ronald Leslie Grose, a former partner of Wagga Refrigeration, which later became The Clef Retravision.
- Wagga residents, Harry Nixon and Aaron Gaudron, are participating in the SunRace 21.C event for electric cars, which passed through Wagga.
- Fernleigh Road Nursery is adverting 20% off all their beautiful roses.
- Wagga postman Peter Linde is celebrating a rare achievement in darts, scoring 170 with just three darts while playing for the Kooringal Hotel against the Rules Club.
- Wagga Mobile Cranes, founded in 1975 by Don Harper with one crane, now has 11 cranes, ranging in size from eight to ninety tons, and a variety of support equipment.
- Australian of the Year and Australian Army chief, Lieutenant General Peter Cosgrave, is in Wagga this week as reviewing officer for a 1RTB march out.
- Wagga-based Riverina Olive Grove has won a gold medal at the National Food Show of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania.
- Attendance at playgroup sessions at the Uranquinty Preschool is down by up to 50%, which could result in the service being closed, according to co-ordinator Linda McDonnell.
- Wagga’s Baylis Street upgrade was commended at the Royal Australian Planning Institute annual awards.
50 Years Ago
- Joint managing director of Wagga Motors Pty Ltd, Gordon Braid, was re-elected for his sixth term as Country vice-president of the Motor Traders Association of N.S.W.
- Mayor of Wagga, Ald Dick Gorman, cut the ribbon at the opening of the John Meagher and Company store which includes a new supermarket section.
- Wagga Scouts and Guides celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Thinking Day at Collins Park.
- Two members of the first Turvey Park Girl Guide Unit, Sally Henderson and Gail Skeers, have been presented with Queen’s Guide Badges.
- John Eyles and Sid Ward are presenting amateur radio classes for older members of the Police Boys Club.
- Brilliant young Wagga tennis player, Michelle Berrigan, has been seeded No.6 in the Women’s Open Singles for the 1976 Wagga Grass Court Championships at Bolton Park.
- Former principal of Mt Austin Public School, Mr Doug Phipps, presented school captains Cathy Summons and Andrew Ritchie of Kooringal School their badges for 1976.
- More than 190 guests attended a dinner at the Wagga RSL Club to hear Mrs Helen Wilson of Ganmain announced as the Riverina Group Country Woman of the Year.
- Miss Wagga, Judy Bourne and Miss Wagga Charity Queen, Julie-Anne Hamilton, are pictured with Community Fund Chairman, Ald Pat Clark and Mayor Dick Gorman receiving their prize-winning cheques to be used on their trip to Leavenworth.
- David Byfield from Wagga City displayed great early-season form to win the 27 holes A Grade scratch and the 27-hole handicap events at the Wagga City Golf Club annual summer tournament.
- Sixteen members of the Wagga Police Citizens Boys Club, under the supervision of Senior Constable Fred Loneragan, achieved excellent results in cycling carnivals at Bathurst and Orange last weekend.
- The Downside Rural Youth Club was awarded three of the five regional awards at the second annual dinner dance of the Riverina Regional Council of Rural Youth.
- Thieves used oxyacetylene equipment to break into a safe at Huthwaites Service Station in Edward Street and steal $713 in cash, $200 in cheques and about $50 in motor accessories.
- Chief Electrical Engineer at the Southern Riverina County Council, Mr H J Wilson, issued a warning to children flying model aeroplanes near overhead electrical wires following a recent incident which left a young boy in hospital.
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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