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

22nd November 2025

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

25 Years Ago

• Raymond Edward Beddoe former director of business enterprises at Wagga City Council who was instrumental in the sale of the city’s gasworks was killed instantly when his car hit a tree after being clipped by a tree on the Bells Line of Road at Mount Tomah.

• Special guest Master of Ceremonies at the Daily Advertiser / Real Estate Institute of New South Wales gala awards evening was Jamie Durie, presenter of Backyard Blitz and former Manpower star.

• The Catholic Church is about to embark on another substantial residential development, this time with a 24-lot sub-division of land between Tatton and Springvale.

• Wagga City Council is poised to act against the owner of “Belmore” on the corner of Trail and Kincaid Streets which is overgrown with weeds and deteriorating in condition.

• Scott Sandbrook is celebrating his 30^th birthday at a surprise birthday party held at Number 96 restaurant.

• Local author, Sherry Morris, was awarded a $10,000 prize for her 1999 publication Wagga Wagga: A History in the 2000 Premiers History Awards.

• Wagga’s Ken Stone was awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Scholarship recognising his role in organising a Rotary Peace Communities Internation Conference held at Wagga in September.  

• David Gilbey WRITES in the Daily Advertiser, on his current stay in Japan as a visiting professor of English at Miyagi Gakuim, Women’s College in Sendai, Japan.

• A shortage of money for road maintenance has forced Wagga City Council to abandon a planned major upgrade of Docker Street.

• More than $1 million worth of sheep were sold in a day at the Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre at Bomen.

• Nathan Carroll is pictured taking a break from his practice at the Wagga Country Club.

• Isaac Tancredi, Rhyan Heinxel and Shaka Abrahams were winners in the Pooh Friendship Day dress-up competition held at K-Mart.

• The Daily Advertiser tenth Country Press Association of New South Wales award for printing and Presentation.

• Planners have been told to stick with the budget of $10 million for construction of the aquatic centre following embarrassing and costly over runs in some major projects, including the Civic Theatre in recent years.

• Leagues Club president, Brian Lawrence angrily denied reports of amalgamation talks between the club and the famous St George Leagues Club.

• About 20 people were charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in a weekend police blitz.

• About eighty hydroponically grown cannabis plants with a street value of $184,000 were seized in a police raid on a Wagga residence.

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50 Years Ago

• The main steel span for the Tarcutta Street underpass, which is 122 feet long and weighs 140 tonnes has arrived by special train in Wagga.

• The Department of Civil Aviation has opened an enquiry into the hot air ballooning accident which claimed the lives of two men near Wagga last Saturday.

• Wagga girl, Belinda Paul, who captained the N.S.W. Schoolgirl Hockey side was presented with a State Hockey Blue award.

• Congratulations came from various parts of the world for the celebration of Stephen Jaques 21^st birthday attended by 72 guests in the Elizabeth Lounge at the Wagga Leagues Club

• Stephen McPherson graduated as the first graduate male nurse from Wagga Base Hospital.

• The Premier of South Australia, Mr Don Dunstan, attracted a crowd of more than 750 people to the Wagga Leagues Club – the largest political gathering seen in Wagga for many years.

• Last year’s Miss Wagga, Sue Bate, now Corporal Stankowski received the Certificate of Outstanding Service at a parade at the RAAF School of Technical Training at Forest Hill.

• Richard Riley has been appointed as Wagga City Council’s Youth Worker and will spend the next two or three weeks getting to know what Wagga’s young people want to do in their spare time.

• Miss Margaret Pleming and Miss Kay Cummins were presented with “Encouragement Awards” by the Downside Rural Youth Club at a special function held recently at Rod’s restaurant.

• Art students at the Riverina College of Advanced Education are staging their third annual exhibition of creative arts at the Wagga City Council Art Gallery.

• Hardys are advertising a range of Malvern Star bicycles and the Diamond House, J J Speirs are advertising a Lanco watch reduced to $19 for Christmas.

• Twenty-three third form history pupils from Kooringal High accompanied by their teacher, Mrs Wendy Cutting enjoyed a traditional Australian Colonial dinner at the Straw Chook Bistro which included damper, beef pie and chicken stew.

• “The sharp drop in home ownership in Australia was an alarming trend,” said Mr Wal Fife, Liberal Party candidate for Farrer.

• The State Government has chosen 20 acres of land at Ladysmith to develop cheap home sites for young couples.

• Nearly 400 women attended a combined Churchwomen’s Christmas Party at the Police Boys Club.

• Vaughn Ricke, Mary Anne Scott, Tony Smith and Sarah Cooper all broke their time for the 25 yards event at the Wagga Swimming Club’s recent club night.

• About 50 people attended a Young Australian Country Party meeting at the Riverina College, which was addressed by Mr George Freudenstein, Minister for Mines and Energy.

• A five-foot-high spotted gum and time capsule were planted on Cartwrights Hill in commemoration of International Women’s Year.

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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