15th August 2026

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

25 Years Ago

• Imelda Burgman, 80, who lives at North Wagga with her husband, Albert, has been named as New South Wales Senior Australian of the Year.

• After a long and delayed search, Wagga Leagues Club President Brian Lawrence announced the appointment of Terry Blackwood as Wagga Leagues Club manager.

• Former boarders of the Tulloch Memorial Hostel, which was opened by the Presbyterian Church in 1920 to accommodate boys from rural areas attending Wagga High, attended a reunion on the weekend.

• Up to 600 people attended a unique concert at Charles Sturt University’s Joye’s Hall with Wagga’s two public choirs, the Cantilena Singers and Wollundry Singers joining with members of England’s High Wycombe Choral Society and the Australian Army Band, Kapooka.

• Jan Pallister representing the Riverina Group Institute of Chartered Accountants presented a $2000 scholarship to Charles Sturt University final-year accounting student, Kristy Murray.

• Several Wagga builders including Les Hoogeveen and Matt Jenkins are concerned that they are on the brink of financial ruin as a home warranty debacle tightens its grip on the industry and restricts work on construction sites.

• About 1000 children from 20 Riverina schools and 800 scouts will plant more than 140,000 native trees on seven sites around Wagga over four days in the biggest tree planting operation ever seen in the Riverina.

• A moving ceremony was held at Wagga’s Memorial Gardens to mark VJ Day, marking the Allied victory over Japan in World War II.

• The roof of the Tolland Takeaway was damaged by high winds of up to 95 kilometres per hour.

• Wagga Ambulance Officer, Phil Hoey, is about to take part in the Kidney Kar Rally for the eighth time and, with his wife Kim, will be the medical support team for the rally drivers. They will be joined by John Rockcliff, Kevin Moffatt and Ron Tilyard who will be officials for the event.

• Wagga’s Huthwaite Centre will undergo a $11.3 million facelift in two stages over 12 months and be renamed The Piazza.

• Henry Little was recognised for 50 years’ service to Wagga Councils and his nephew, Jim Little, was farewelled after 31 years’ service to the councils.

• Willis Brake and Steering. owned by Graham and Jenny Willis, is one of six finalists named for a prestigious Motor Traders Association of New South Wales award.

• Less than eighteen months after a threat of closure, Wagga’s Royal Australian Air Force is being considered for a major expansion which could see ground training activities at some other facilities being consolidated at Wagga’s Forest Hill base.

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50 Years Ago

• Wagga City Town Planner, Sel Rawlings, is pictured with an overall master plan for a detailed land use and parking survey underway in the central business district.

• Peter McAlister from Gundagai is the top points scorer in Group 9 this year with 196 points.

• Volunteers Roy Allars and Ross Deaner were among 30 volunteers working to prepare Wagga’s new tennis complex for the Wagga Tennis Association’s October tournament.

• The Bidgee Pony Club’s new club rooms on the Oura Road were officially opened by the Mayor, Alderman Gorman, during a ball attended by 200 guests.

• John Bittar and Grahame Burns have been made life members of the South Wagga Apex Club.

• 120 people participated in a Waggaroos Club Orienteering event held in preparation for the New South Wales State Championships to be held next weekend at the Rock.

• Mrs M Bragg was presented with Life Membership of the Returned Services League of Australia in recognition of more than 20 years of outstanding service to the Women’s Auxiliary.

• Wagga clinched the Bells Cup inter-town squash competition minor premiership with a 12-rubbers-to-nil “whitewash” victory at home against Cootamundra.

• Finalists in the recent Don Jones junior table tennis tournament, Rhonda Dubedat, Bob Shepherd, Andrea Campbell and Cathy Slattery are pictured with their trophies.

• Les Mouat is pictured in his Mini as he won both the overall top score and best in class A division in a weekend Motorkhana organised by the Wagga Car Club at Kurrajong Reserve.

• Kooringal High School is hosting a variety concert in the school gymnasium which will feature Jazz Ballet, Plays, Judo, Films and Choral and Instrumental Groups.

• Conway Twitty, The Twitty Birds and Lee Conway will be performing at the Plaza Theatre in September.

• The Wagga Fire Brigade is facing a shortage of voluntary fire personnel and the establishment of a second fire station in the city is being considered as part of the solution.

• Acceptance of the marriage and personal counselling service in Wagga has come in “remarkably quick” time according to Mr Ian Paton, the director of the service in Canberra, while addressing the Wagga service’s annual meeting.

• The Wagga branch of Community Aid Abroad will be holding their eighth “Walk Against Want” on the North Wagga Flats next Saturday.

• Bookings have opened for the 22^nd Wagga School of Arts Drama Festival.

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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