18th July 2026
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- The cost of upgrading the Wagga Civic Theatre has blown out again, this time by $570,000 with Mayor Kevin Wales indicating his disappointment, saying that council general manager, Graeme Faulkner, would be asking questions as to why councillors have only just been told of the over-expenditure.
- Well-known legal firm, Farrell Lusher, relocated their business to the old Westpac building in Fitzmaurice Street after spending the last 25 years in Peter Street.
- More than 3000 people poured into the Wagga Showground for the most successful of the city’s eight annual swap meets.
- Solicitor, John Ireland, who is already an accredited specialist in personal injury and litigation, was also recently accredited as a Law Society of New South Wales specialist in mediation.
- Three family members, Sara Morley, her younger sister, Rebecca Kelly and her husband Karl Kelly, are the new joint proprietors of the popular Bagley’s Restaurant within Romano’s Hotel.
- James Fellows, Andrew Mills, Tessa Bremner and Peter Blyth were among those completing a course in small business management conducted by Mission Employment.
- Major Andrea Davey is taking over as the new Kapooka Band leader after the transfer of Major Patrick Pickett.
- Diabetes Educators, Helen Hilton, Leigh Spokes and Debbie Scadden are calling for a greater awareness of diabetes in the community and for everyone to be tested for diabetes.
- A team from Charles Sturt University led by manager Sally Cox has been victorious in the Australian University Sports East Equestrian Championships, winning the teams event for the fourth year running.
- Steve Anderson and Angus Evans are pictured on opening day at Steve’s Quality Meats at the Lake Albert Village.
- Bill and Doreen Johnston celebrated 50 years of wedded bliss with family and friends at the Roundabout restaurant at the Charles Sturt Motor Inn.
- Wagga’s two Healthy Life stores owned by Michael and Trish Gestier have won a national marketing award for sales achieved in the first six months of 2001.
- A new Sheridan Factory Outlet is opening this week at the Wagga Home Base.
- Marie and Mervyn Willis from the Wagga Veteran and Vintage Motor Club are pictured presenting a $500 cheque to the Wagga Base Hospital Children’s Ward.
50 Years Ago
- Nearly 500 people packed the St. Andrew’s Hall to pay tribute to the Reverend Donald Mackenzie Baird who is retiring after almost 30 years as Presbyterian Minister in Wagga.
- Mrs Doreen Hutchinson, who was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last month, was guest of honour at a reunion of old members of the Voluntary Aid Detachment, where she is pictured with Mrs Norma Vidler, Mrs Joy Cox and Mrs Kit Dixon.
- Beef floor workers who have been on strike from the Wagga Meat Processing Plant last week will remain on strike indefinitely.
- Farrer League secretary, Mr Brian Haste presented the Garry Smith Memorial Trophy to M.C.U and New South Wales State representative Allan Langfield.
- Miss Wagga, Judy Bourne received an enthusiastic welcome home from her parents, Mr and Mrs R E Bourne of “Yallambee”, Ladysmith when she arrived home from a tour of the United States.
- The Riverina Australian Football Club presented football guernseys to be worn in the Carroll Cup matches beginning next week to representatives of Wagga Schools.
- Dr Barrie Thistlethwayte, Dean of Agriculture at the Riverina College of Advanced Education, attended a conference on agricultural research skills at the University of Hawaii.
- A new minibus is now stationed at the Wagga Ambulance Station for use by patients at the St. John’s Day Care Centre.
- Farrer League players, officials and strappers, together with their wives and girlfriends, celebrated their State Championship victory at the Riverina Australian Football Club.
- The Red Shield Appeal held by the Salvation Army in the Wagga District raised $11,680.
- An ultimatum has been delivered to the Department of Education by the Rosewood Primary School Parents and Citizens’ Association concerning the provision of adequate heating at the Rosewood Primary School.
- Wagga experienced one of its coldest mornings ever on Saturday with temperatures dropping to -6 degrees centigrade.
- Mitchell Shire Clerk, Wal Casperson, said that the Shire has had to defer expenditure on several projects due to a cut in allocations for rural roads.
- The Ashmont Pre-school and Long Day Care on the corner of Blakemore and Moxham Street, Ashmont will be opening soon.
- Sheep were given away at the Wagga Saleyards this week with no bid received for about 1000 light and plain types of sheep offered. In direct contrast, demand for fat sheep was very strong with top sheep sold for $13.
- Three local Rural Youth members, Jenny Gutler, Ken Harris and Ray Brown took out major awards at the Rural Youth Conference held at Tamworth last week.
- Mrs Frances Templeman of Yerong Creek is the Wagga branch entrant in the Parents without Partners Quest.
- One of Wagga’s newest business enterprises, Wagga Hot Bake Pty Ltd, is expected to be prosecuted for violating the New South Wales law which prohibits bread being baked on any Saturday.
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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