28th February 2026
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- A massive clean-up got underway following a devastating storm, which saw fallen tree limbs and scattered debris throughout the city.
- Some 500 staff and recruits of the Kapooka Military Area were granted the Freedom of the City to celebrate the Australian Army’s 100th birthday.
- Mayor Kevin Wales and Council officers, Garry Salvestro and Ian Graham, were present when Wagga City Council received a commendation for the Baylis Street main street upgrade at the NSW Royal Australian Planning Institutes Awards for excellence held in Sydney.
- Dorrice and Darryl Lamotte celebrated 25 years of wedded bliss by renewing their vows recently at Elle’s Restaurant.
- New Miss Wagga Committee Chairperson, Ly Smith, said that canvassing for entrants in the 2002 Miss Wagga Quest is about to begin.
- Charlie Sheppard 100, the newest yet oldest member of Wagga Garden City Probus, is pictured being welcomed to the club by club president, Wal Baker.
- Wagga’s Cancer Council of New South Wales retail outlet in the Sturt Mall will close next month for financial reasons.
- New South Wales Institute of Sport netball head coach, Margaret Corbett, presented Riverina Academy of Sport squad members Carly George, Jacqui Murphy and Paula Mitchell with their new uniforms after being awarded scholarships with the Institute.
- Representatives from local schools were rewarded for their community service at Rotary’s Annual Peace Day ceremony conducted at the Wagga Peace Monument.
- Members of the Riverina Retired Police Association, Joe Hawkins OAM, Jack Drinnan and Stan Rogers were presented with veterans’ certificates by former police sergeant Pat Kain.
- Brian Favero is pictured preparing for a charity race day to benefit the Life Education Van, arranged by the Wagga Harness Racing Club together with the South Wagga Lions Club.
- Premier Bob Carr was delighted to receive the traditional Tumba Trek walking stick from former Federal National Party Leader, Tim Fischer.
- Microtech’s IT account manager Nick Westcott is pictured with Apple sales specialist Don Hayes, preparing for a two-day technology expo starting this week.
- Australian Army chief, Lt-Gen. Peter Cosgrove attended the march-out parades at Kapooka this week.
- Officer in charge of the Wagga Bureau of Meteorology, John Darnley, said the 90 days of Summer just completed included the highest ever maximum temperature, 44.8 degrees Celsius, recorded in Wagga, but also a record number of non-consecutive days over 30 degrees.
- Tourism Wagga has agreed to contribute up to $7000 towards the establishment of information panels telling the story of the Uranquinty Migrant Camp.
- A report published by the Department of Local Government shows Wagga City Council’s ratio of staff to population is much larger than that of many other Councils of comparable size.
50 Years Ago
- Tony and Pat Quinlivan, who lost a daughter last year to asthma, are hoping to establish a Wagga branch of the Asthma Foundation.
- School Captains at Kooringal High School this year are Lyn Campbell and Brian Heaney.
- Six Americans from the State of Arkansas have been visiting Wagga as part of a Rotary International Group Study Exchange.
- Mike Chamberlain, President of the Beranghi Association, and Bob Davies presented Mr and Mrs Keith Ford with a trip to Fiji valued at $700 after they won a competition run by the Beranghi Association.
- Members of the Wagga Senior Citizens Club are leaving on a three-day bus tour to Ballarat for the annual Begonia Festival.
- Meagher’s reckon they’re the cheapest grocers in town with Carnation milk 17 cents a can, Sea Breeze Fancy Tuna, 7 oz can for 46 cents and Heinz Baked Beans or Spaghetti, 16 oz for 19 cents per can.
- Kamahl is performing two concerts this week at the Plaza Theatre.
- Sandra Ball won every event she contested at the Sacred Heart School at Kooringal swimming carnival.
- Huthwaites School Wear Department are selling Mt Austin Primary frocks for just $5.99.
- Commissioner Margrethe Warren of the Salvation Army will be the guest speaker at special services to celebrate Women’s World Day of Prayer.
- Mr and Mrs Spirou Psaltis celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary.
- More than ten shooters travelled through Wagga streets in three utilities in the city’s third starling shoot. Shooters again shot into plane trees to try to kill and frighten the pests that have fouled the trees and footpaths.
- Cricket coaching got underway at the Police Boys Club under the supervision of Riverina cricket coach, Warren Smith, assisted by Peter Merritt.
- Wagga Rescue Club members, headed by Sergeant Neville Tamlyn, recovered the body of a man who had been missing for several days in the Murrumbidgee River.
- The situation facing first-year students, particularly girls from country areas at the Riverina College of Advanced Education, was discussed at the February Council meeting of the Riverina Group of the C.W.A. held recently at Tarcutta.
- The Riverina Area of Rural Youth held their annual convention at “Overdale”, Harefield.
- Two loans totalling $300,000 will be raised for proposed office extensions to Wagga City Council administration buildings following a report by the Town Planner, Mr Sel Rawlings.
- Wagga City Council will increase the ground rentals for winter sporting grounds by at least 10 per cent.
- The Wagga Kennel Club has received entries for 575 dogs of about 50 different varieties for its Autumn Championship Show to be held on March 14.
- Directors of W G Huthwaite Holding Limited notified the Sydney Stock Exchange of another record profit of $156,000 for the six months to December 31.
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
