1st November 2025
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- A 15,000 strong crowd saw two world records set at Bolton Park with funds raised benefiting the radiotherapy appeal. Lawrence Legend successfully jumped 20 cars on his motorcycle, and 4500 kilograms of rice were cooked to secure the title of the world’s largest bowl of rice.
- More than 2000 people including Slim Dusty gathered at Tarcutta for a sombre service to remember truck drivers who had been killed on the nation’s roads.
- Event organiser, John Wood, said that this year was the best ever, Wagga Garden and Leisure Festival with between 10,000 and 15,000 people visiting the Botanic Gardens to see almost 80 displays.
- Round 12 of the national bull riding series was held at the Wagga Showground with four rounds, 45 riders and more than 5000 spectators.
- More than 150 students from across the Riverina competed in a Junior Chess League Primary Schools One-Day Tournament with the winning team from Sturt Public School consisting of Josh Brinton, Sam Roberts, and Sam Bustard.
- Grahame Winson, Crime manager for the Wagga Police Local Area Command has been promoted to the rank of Inspector.
- Championship trophy winners at the Riverina Australian Football Club, Women’s Bowling Club were Jan Wilson, Kay Morley, and Joan Fulton.
- Ricks Clothing Company is celebrating its 28th Birthday with all menswear and men’s and women’s surf ware selling at 20% off.
- The fate of Wagga transport company, Finemores was sealed with the announcement it will be taken over Melbourne based Toll Holdings.
- A large crowd gathered at the Wagga Marketplace to witness local bank managers get their heads shaved to raise money for the Riverina Radiotherapy Cancer Care appeal.
- Bernard Hart celebrated being awarded an Order of Australia Medal for services to agriculture at a cocktail party held at Romano’s Hotel.
- The Wagga Society of Model Engineers celebrated their 12th annual invitation run at the Botanic Gardens.
- Kirra Beeby, Casey Pomeroy, Sophie Richardson, Nicole Sloan, Stephanie Muir, Christina Appleston-Seymour and their coach, Aimee Sutherland are pictured with medals and trophies they won recently at the NSW Country Gymnastics Championships in Wollongong.
- Wagga based Kendell Airlines announced it has extended its services to Brisbane and Tasmania.
- South Wagga Lions Club was named for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year as the top club at the Lions International District 201N4 Conference held in Griffith.
50 Years Ago
- The annual Wagga Garden viewing in aid of the Royal Blind Society was held in perfect conditions and attracted more than 300 people.
- Mr Leo Linsell won both major prizes including a Mercury outboard motor at this week’s Wagga Fisherama.
- More than 200 girls from all parts of the Riverina took part in the Miss Wagga Australian Rules Football Knockout Carnival held at Maher Oval.
- Riverina Australian Rules Club, chief chef, Bill Taylor is pictured with a special cake he has prepared for Melbourne Cup activities at the club this week.
- The 20th annual Wagga Legacy and Spastic Golf Day netted $1200. Mr Colin Mayhew, Mr John Cowper, Mr M. Beaton, and Mrs Joy Cox are pictured at the presentation of $600 to each to Wagga Legacy and the Wagga Spastic Centre Council.
- Rava’s are advertising a Voca-Phone telephone answering system priced at $495.
- Mrs Laurine Linsell was judged the best dressed woman at the Melbourne Cup Day function held at the Australian Rules Football Club.
- Work has started on stage 1 of the Michaelis Hollander hide processing plant adjacent to the Wagga Abattoir at Bomen.
- The Premier, Mr Tom Lewis has been invited by Wagga’s Mayor, Ald. Dick Gorman to debate the natural gas issue when he visits Wagga soon, a move which former member for Wagga and endorsed Liberal Party candidate for Farrer, Wal Fife, labelled as “impertinent.”
- Country fullback, Greg Brentnall has rejected a $5000 offer from North Sydney and will hold talks with Turvey Park about next season.
- A motion moved by Mr C. N. Silverstone and supported by Mr R. J. Harris calling for the abolition of any means test for all people who have attained the age of 65 years was passed by a large majority at the Wagga Branch of the Liberal Party monthly meeting.
- A legal aid referral centre is opening this week at the offices of the Community Action Group in The Esplanade.
- More than 70 people attended a meeting of the Gumly Progress Association to discuss the flood situation in the village.
- Mrs Miriam Caspers and Mrs Joyce Knight both scored “holes in one” at the Wagga Country Club when Associates completed their 1975 program with an 18 holes mixed Pinehurst competition.
- Mrs Hazel Loch, a member of the Wagga Arts Society and Patron of the Wagga District Women’s Bowling Association and wife of former Wagga alderman, Mr Aubrey Lock died suddenly this week.
- The Wagga City Council is acting to ensure that all home swimming pools, both above ground and in-ground are fenced.
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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