18th April 2026
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- More than 5000 people were attracted to Wagga over the weekend to attend two major attractions, the Gemboree at Bolton Park and the Uranquinty Remembers celebrations.
- Wagga Citizen of the Year, Rick Priest, is pictured with Reverend Colin Rush from Saint Cuthbert’s at the Uranquinty Remembers celebrations.
- Southern Riverina Region Traffic Co-ordinator, Senior Sergeant Des Ross, said that compared to last Easter, drink driving offences almost doubled this Easter to 40 people. Speeding offences in Wagga increased from 200 last year to 257 this year.
- Mick Reid, the director general of New South Wales Health, met with about 20 visiting medical officers at Wagga Base Hospital to discuss huge hikes in medical indemnity insurance, which threaten to force specialists to quit the public health system.
- Land developers continue to show confidence in Wagga with work on major subdivisions in Bourkelands and Gracelands.
- With a service not generally offered outside of capital cities, a local couple, David Vidler and Karen Wright, are launching a “Groceries Direct” website which will allow Wagga shoppers to do their shopping online from the convenience of their home or office.
- Successful tenderer for the construction of the Riverina Cancer Centre, Scott Nash from Nash Brothers Contractors, is pictured discussing plans for the centre with Riverina Cancer Care Community Trust chairman, Joe Schipp.
- Militaria collector, David Parkin, is providing part of his private collection of military memorabilia for exhibition at the Heckenberg Antique Show, the Rock and the Wagga RSL Club to coincide with this year’s Anzac Day.
- Recent dry weather contributed to another record sheep sale at Bomen, with more than 55,000 sheep and lambs penned at the Wagga Saleyards.
- Nathan Dannock claimed a gold medal, which earned him a spot in the New South Wales Judo team to contest the Nationals in Adelaide.
- Andrew Gooden, the current owner of Wes’s Walkabout, which was established in 1923, is about to make a major change: reducing the grocery range and installing the latest state-of-the-art coffee-making machine.
- Dr Lyn Graham from Charles Sturt University presented a public lecture on the new HSC online project.
- Graeme Buchan, a veteran of many marathon bike rides, is taking part in the “Links in the Chain Federation Bike Ride”.
- Wagga Mutual Credit Union launched a product designed to kickstart the home buyer market in the wake of the Reserve Bank’s latest 0.5 per cent per annum interest rate reduction.
- Optus World at 164 Baylis Street are advertising Nokia, Panasonic and Ericsson mobile phones.
- Wagga figure sculptor, Sarah Bright, who participated in her first championship only a month ago, won gold at the Melbourne Titles of the International Natural Bodybuilding Association.
- Inspector Grahame Winson said that drug use continues to be a problem in Wagga, with criminal incidents of possession and/or use of cannabis increasing from 60 in 1995 to 149 in 2000.
50 Years Ago
- Traffic lights failed on the Hampden Bridge, which is limited to one lane, causing southbound traffic to line up for almost half a mile before the bridge.
- Group Captain C G Thomas, Commanding Officer at RAAF Base Wagga, will deliver the occasional address at this year’s Anzac Day Service in Wagga.
- The Mayor, Ald Dick Gorman, arranged a mayoral reception for members of the Royal Shakespeare Company, which is in Wagga for two days to present “The Hollow Crown” at the Civic Theatre.
- Member for Wagga, Joe Schipp, said that planning for a new flood-free Gobba Bridge, to replace the Hampden Bridge, will begin immediately.
- Mr Jim Hassle, of Heath Street, is exhibiting many of his scale models of farm implements and machines at the annual Historical Society fete to be held at Willans Hill.
- Graham Irons, president of the Wagga Chamber of Commerce, is pictured presenting a cheque for $500 to Golden Gown Award Committee secretary, Mrs Jill Fulton.
- More than 200 irate residents from the Eastlakes Estate near Lake Albert have signed a petition demanding the immediate installation of a public phone at the estate.
- About 14 women attended a meeting to form an association to assist the Wagga City Library, which has recently suffered a cutback in finances by the Wagga City Council.
- Karen Dewey, Tina Sissins and Ian Dewey are among the young actors in the May holiday production, by the Theatre Workshop, of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, produced by Louise Blackett.
- Evelyn Baker and Sue Cox are pictured participating in a social basketball game, organised at Kyeamba Smith Hall, for housewives by the Wagga Amateur Basketball Association.
- Peter Wild of Wagga won the New South Wales Quickcat Championship held on Lake Albert.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarf’s, from Her Majesty’s Theatre Sydney, is playing live at the Wagga Civic Theatre.
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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