12th September 2026

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

25 Years Ago

• Administrators took control of the cash-strapped Ansett Australia group and its regional subsidiaries, including Kendell and Hazelton Airlines.

• Founder of the now-crumbling Kendell Airlines, Don Kendell blamed management of Ansett Australia and Air New Zealand for bringing his once proud company to its knees.

• Wagga’s Craig Ambler was first to cross the finish line at Apex Park to take out the annual City to Lake event, with Carmel Kahlefeldt the first woman to finish.

• Wagga Mayor, Kevin Wales, deputy mayor, Lindsay Vidler and chairman of the Radiotherapy Trust, Joe Schipp, were among those attending an informal luncheon to celebrate the halfway point in the construction of the Radiotherapy Centre at Calvary Hospital.

• Wagga’s self-proclaimed petrol watchdog, Ken McLeod, is angry that the ACCC, which recently wrote to him, addressed to his home in “Wooga Wooga”, is not doing anything to help the motorist with petrol prices.

• Vicki Dawson is pictured relaxing in a 1920’s maple chair at the South Wagga Rotary Club Antique Fair.

• Terry Williams, Betty Craig, Greg Packer, Isabel Reid and Hewitt Whyman are pictured attending the National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee Ball at the Wagga Leagues Club.

• Rotarians provided mock job interviews for about 130 Year 10 students attending a “Pathways to Employment Expo” organised by Wagga Compact for students planning to leave school this year.

• Isabel Davies, 11, of Lake Albert Public School is pictured performing with the District Schools Sing 2001 Choir to launch Education Week.

• Des and Marg French celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary with family and friends at the Wagga Leagues Club.

• Year 11 students Kellie Stevenson from Kooringal High and Sarah Luff from Trinity Senior High School are among 282 students selected nationwide by Rotary Clubs to attend the National Youth Science Forum in Canberra.

• A student has been expelled and eight others suspended from Wagga’s Christian College by principal Hugh McCallum, following an incident when a student was tied to a flagpole.

• Wagga’s Hungry Jack’s store was named franchise of the year at the company’s awards night in Sydney.

• Kangaroos celebrated a hat trick of Group Nine premierships with Mad Monday festivities at the Union Club Hotel.

• Coolamon Central School won the Statewide touch competition for Central Schools.

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50 Years Ago

• The new Edward Street rail bridge is now open to rail traffic.

• Turvey Park held out against a determined Temora to win the Group 9 grand final in sensational circumstances at Weissel Oval.

• Carolyn Blosser has made more than 150 pieces for the Wagga Quota Club Craftarama, which begins this week at the Plaza Theatre.

• Major improvements are being undertaken by Wagga City Council at Henwood Park.

• Mr John Harding, Director of the Wagga branch of the Sport and Recreation Service of NSW, was one of nineteen Wagga residents naturalised as Australians in a ceremony conducted by the Mayor, Ald Gorman.

• Mr Leon Punch, NSW Leader of the Country Party, will open this year’s Henty Machinery Field Days.

• The Wagga Family Day Care Centre in the Esplanade celebrated its first anniversary.

• Sixteen-year-old Peter Stirling and seventeen-year-old Glen Rose arrived back in Wagga after their two-week tour of Papua New Guinea.

• In a promotion organised by store manager, Mr Neil Denton, Wagga Apexians took up placards and marched up and down in front of the Homecrafts store in Baylis Street to raise money for various charitable causes.

• Seventeen-year-old Magpie follower, Wendy Lynn, was crowned Miss Rugby League at the Wagga Leagues Club.

• Dawn Smith from Rondon Gallery and Craft Workshops announced new classes in Silver Jewellery, Beaten Copper, Enamelling, Spinning and Candle Making.

• Wagga Cellars are advertising large cans of Victorian Beer for $7.69.

• A further 70 dwellings are to be constructed in Wagga for Army and RAAF personnel.

• Noel Smith, manager of Wagga’s Dunlop garment factory, denied that the factory was on the verge of closing despite ten retrenchments from the factory this week.

• Cr P J Amery has been re-elected unopposed as Lockhart Shire President for the third successive year.

• More than 100 Girl Guides and 20 Guide leaders attended a weeklong camp at the property “Book Book” owned by David & Ian Dunn.

• Wagga’s Mayor, Ald Dick Gorman, said that Wagga Airport should be owned and operated by Wagga City Council.

• Councillor Ron Harris was elected to his fourth term as President of Mitchell Shire Council.

• Forty of the 190 workers at James Barnes Meat Processing Plant were retrenched.

• Twenty-year-old Wagga Kangaroos lock, Steven McDonald, has won the 1976 Eric Weissel Medal best and fairest award in Group 9 Rugby League.

• Wagga Rescue Club has embarked on a project to raise funds for the purchase of a mobile canteen.

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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