6th April 2024
Compiled from the Daily Advertiser by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society.
25 Years Ago
- Joe Schipp, the city’s longest serving State MP who retired recently was presented with Freedom of the City by Wagga’s Mayor, John Harding.
- The cost of unleaded petrol at some Wagga service stations has skyrocketed by as much as three cents per litre in recent days to around 75.9 cents per litre.
- The refurbished Wagga War Cemetery will be officially reopened soon by the Minister for Veteran’s Affairs, the Hon Bruce Scott MP.
- Betty Myles, Laurie Holgate, Joyce Gillespie, and June McPherson were among former students attending Matong Public School Centenary Celebrations.
- Wonderland Furniture in Berry Street is starting a Closing Down Sale.
- Riverina Soccer held its season launch at the Riverina Australian Rules Football Club.
- Alf Ludwig, one of the district’s best known racing identities and described as a “fair dinkum legend” died at the age of 86.
- Wagga’s Great Southern Energy customer service centre in Johnston Street has been on the market since June but remains unsold. Once home to 60 staff members the building is now staffed by just three people, Jon Blundell, Phillip Tome, and Gary Begg.
- Fifty-six “Grey Fergie” tractors lined up at Henty for the recent VintQuip Vintage Machinery Rally at Henty.
- Wagga’s Crimestoppers branch chairman, Julie Hoy, said the group which was formed last year will soon host a special Crimestoppers phone-in targeting drugs.
- The Old Brewery on the Esplanade has been renovated and developed to cater for professional services.
- Riverina Rugby Union has landed a lucrative sponsorship deal with Bundaberg Rum.
- Seven young women, Sari Kemp, Kirsty Galvin, Rebecca Hennessy, Sidony Menz, Kelly Colvin, Chloe Bennett and Kylie Pickering have entered this year’s Miss Wagga Quest.
- A motorist who drove along a residential street at 110 kilometres per hour was one of more than eighty caught speeding over the Easter holiday period.
- Daryl Maguire was celebrating his victory in the State Election, declared 11 days after polling day, with Mr Maguire ahead of his nearest rival, Colin McPherson by 5,000 votes.
- Tourism Wagga is developing a database that it hopes will attract international attention from people with an interest in technical and agricultural tourism.
- Car thefts in the Wagga District, while still prevalent, have fallen by 34% in the past 12 months.
50 Years Ago
- Three Wagga people died in two separate road accidents within 15 minutes of each other at the weekend.
- A week of rain throughout the Riverina has caused chaos for Easter traffic and minor to moderate flooding of creeks and rivers.
- Johnny Rebb is heading up Easter entertainment at the Leagues Club this weekend.
- Graham Cross is providing a “new sound” on radio 2CO from 5am Monday to Saturday.
- The Farrer League opens on a high note on Saturday when arch rivals Wagga and North Wagga with coaches Doug Priest and Alan Hayes clash on Wagga’s home ground, Robertson Oval.
- Turvey Park Primary School teams won the Wagga Junior Women’s Softball Association 1974 A Grade and B Grade premierships at French Field.
- Rain again washed-out play in the Wagga and District Bowling Association Pennant finals.
- Entries in the Tolland Primary School anti-litter poster competition, won by sixth grade pupil Donna Miller, are on display at the Tolland Shopping Centre.
- Woolworths Family Centre are selling a 12-digit calculator which subtracts, adds, divides, and multiplies for $69.95 or with memory for $89.95.
- Eighty old Army and RAAF buildings sold for more than $40,000 at on-site auctions at Kapooka and Forest Hill.
- Geoff and Helen Perryman opened Wagga’s newest restaurant at the Red Steer Motel.
- Permewan Food stores in Baylis Street and at Turvey Tops are selling Streets Ice Cream, 2 litres for 59 cents, Heinz Baked Beans or Spaghetti, 16 oz cans for 14 cents and Tarax Soft Drink, 13 oz cans for 13 cents.
- Mr Geoff Fitzpatrick of G J Fitzpatrick and Co, real estate and business agents in Wagga has been re-elected a vice-president of the NSW Real Estate Institute.
- Four Wagga Apexians, Frank Fountain, Bill Diesel, Michael Kennedy, and Steve Dwyer will join about 1500 Apexians and their wives at the 40th Annual Conference of the Association of Apex Clubs, held over Easter at Alice Springs.
- South Wagga won their first Wagga Cricket Association first grade premiership for 12 years when rain washed out play at Robertson Oval.
- The ALP have endorsed Kevin Esler of Tooma to oppose the sitting Liberal member for Farrer, David Fairbairn, at the Federal election in May.
- Wagga Cricket Association is owed about $1600 in outstanding playing fees and ground charges which association secretary, Brian Lawrence hopes will be finalised prior to the annual trophy presentation dinner in April.
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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