PEEPS IN THE PAST
December 18 to 24, 2022
Presented by Mildura & District Historical SocietyCompiled by Mildura Rural City Council Libraries
100 YEARS AGO:
1922
On Wednesday night a new era was inaugurated at Ouyen – the era of “electric lighting”.
The official starting of the plant which was installed by the Walpeup Shire Council was performed by Cr. W. Johnson, at eight o’clock at the power-house, in the presence of the local residents.
Crs J. K. Glen and G. Rowe were present and also in attendance was Mr B. Montgomery, the general manager of Messrs, Warburton-Franki, whose firm installed the plant.
The Mildura Hospital Christmas cheer appeal made in “Sunraysia Daily” yesterday and again today is attracting attention and will assuredly meet with a generous response.
Mrs C. E. Rae, of Red Cliffs, has given the hospital a collection of miscellaneous articles, including sweets and bouncing balls for children, and comforts for adults.
Mrs Rae is also working hard collecting for this appeal, and she expects to have more money in hand shortly to purchase additional hospital comforts.
At a meeting of the Mildura branch of the National Utility Poultry Breeders’ Association, held at Risbey’s Chambers, some matters of great importance to local poultrymen were dealt with.
Because of the great demand from the general public, as well as from storekeepers, for guaranteed fresh eggs, it was decided by the branch to form an egg circle.
Every guaranteed egg will bear a stamp, and by the stamp the managers of the circle will know by whom each egg has been supplied.
The demand for high-grade eggs is so great in Melbourne and other cities that many shopkeepers, stock only eggs of this quality.
The inferior “country” eggs, as they are called, being used mainly by bakers and manufacturers.
It is recognised by the association that Mildura has not been properly catered for in regard to fresh eggs.
A report from the branch’s delegates, Messrs. M. Baxter and W. Rudd, who are acting with the committee of the Mildura and Merbein District Horticultural and Agricultural Society, was read.
The report shows that great improvements are likely to be made in the poultry sections at the next show.
75 YEARS AGO:
1947
Directions to householders on ways of combating the mosquito plague in Mildura were given to Thursday night’s City Council meeting by the Health Inspector (Mr B. N. Pickford).
All fresh water tanks should be given a weekly dose of kerosene sufficient to form a complete film on the top of the water.
Water or scum on top of the tank should be sprayed with a water bound D.D.T. solution every six to eight weeks.
Every now and again one pauses to realise the fine work that groups of women have done and are doing throughout Australia.
Red Cross workers, Welfare workers, Travellers Aid Societies, clinic helpers and many other organisations striving towards the betterment and progress of their communities.
Let us consider for a moment the City of Mildura.
Here, a group of about twelve women form a committee that works hard and plans continually for the cause of women and little children.
These twelve women represent the Rest Room.
Mothers visiting Mildura, or shopping, find it a blessing.
They also have the advantage of being able to leave parcels; enjoy a cup of tea, or just rest and refresh themselves.
Small children and infants are brought there during the busy day to be greeted with friendliness and every assistance.
It is heaven for mothers, and, therefore, it deserves the support of Sunraysia’s women folk.
The committee wants to make the room even more attractive with pleasing crockery, better furniture, and possibly little luxuries that are enjoyed in a rest room.
This of course requires support.
It would be a very fine gesture for the New Year, if everybody in Sunraysia were to assist this cause either by donation in money, crockery, or furnishings.
If each person gave something practical, it would be an investment for her own comfort and convenience, as well as an acknowledgement of the splendid work carried out by the president (Mrs E.A. Pearce) and the committee.
Five eggs from one fowl in one day is the latest record in Sunraysia.
Yesterday, Mrs K. Soutter, of the Billabong brought into the the office of Sunraysia Daily five eggs which she said had been laid by an ordinary white leghorn in one afternoon.
The normal eggs were collected about 2.30pm, but a later inspection revealed five more which measured about 1 1/3 inches long by 2/3 inch wide.
To people who have chased the fowl – and even the rooster – around the hen-house, in an endeavour to obtain breakfast there should be a certain amount of appeal in this new form of mass production.
It would be interesting to learn if any similar claim can be made in Sunraysia.
50 YEARS AGO:
1972
Trees at Apex Park were dying of thirst, Mr Syd Mills said yesterday.
“Some of the gum and box trees inland from the river are becoming almost defoliated. You’d think they had some disease, but I’m satisfied its lack of water which is killing them. We must put water into the bend or there will be hardly a tree left.”
Cr Mills said that in 1970 Mildura City Council decided to block off the creeks into the reserve when the river rose to a high level.
This was done to save the caravan park lessee the inconvenience of having to put up with a damp area which might attract mosquitoes, he said.
”At the time I wasn’t happy to see the bulldozers going in,” he said.
“The Forests Commission asked council to allow water to flow into the bend to irrigate the area, but this didn’t eventuate.”
With the river now particularly low, trees which needed a flush out every few years were being drastically affected by the drought.
People swimming or boating in the treacherous Murray should take every possible precaution.
Senior Constable Bob Warren of Buronga Police said this yesterday after a weekend incident on the river.
He said each year the river claimed new victims, and many drownings can be attributed to the carelessness of some river users.
On Thursday, three teachers and nine students from Merbein High School were crossing the river near the Merbein pumps in a 12ft aluminium boat when it capsized.
They reached the Victorian bank by hanging on to the sides of the boat and pushing it ashore.
Two school bags were lost and an outboard motor and camera were damaged by water.
The three teachers were Mr Bob Saunder, Mrs J. George and Mr A. Hayes.
Mr Saunder said yesterday he had already taken one load of students over to a sandbar on the other side of the river in preparation for a form break-up party.
Mr Saunder said he launched the boat upstream and picked up the party near the pumps.
He was part way across the river when the motor weakened.
“Water was lapping over the front, and the boat gradually began to sink,” he said.
Everyone went over the side and clung to sides. Then we pushed it to shore.”
Mr Saunder said he had taken students on similar excursions without incident.
“It was just an unfortunate accident,” he said.
“We won’t be doing it again.
”A May 1973 opening is Woolworths’ objective for their new $750,000 supermarket in Langtree Avenue, Mildura.
This was announced on the weekend by Mr J.W. Levinge, Victorian director and State manager for Woolworths.
The 21,000 sq. ft. store was being constructed on the 1½ acre site formerly occupied by Washington Motors, he said.
While Woolworths’ new structure would make use of Washington Motors’ main floor slab, side walls and roof framework, the completed building would have an attractive brand new look.
The Langtree Avenue frontage would incorporate arched face-brick sections, giving the Mildura supermarket an entirely different appearance from the company’s stores elsewhere.
It would be fully air conditioned and have fire sprinklers, said Mr Levinge.
The car park would accommodate 800 vehicles daily and could be entered from either Lime or Langtree Avenues.
Mr Levinge pointed out that Woolworths’ supermarkets were not confined to food, but also offered a wide range of family clothing and general household goods. “We will be giving Mildura shoppers a true one-stop supermarket,” he said.
25 YEARS AGO:
1997
Mildura Rural City Council last night voted to enter into a lease with McDonald’s restaurant chain over the Sophies on the Mall property in Langtree Mall.
Sophies proprietors John and Sofia Kimerlis, surrendered their lease, allowing McDonald’s to take over, although not officially until January 5.
Cr Tom Crouch said because of the extra people it would attract, McDonald’s had the potential to revitalise the mall.
McDonald’s proprietor, Rob Vigors, said he hoped the café style restaurant would persuade other mall traders to open later in the evening.
An old river barge, used at the turn of the century to cart Red Gum logs, was launched at the Buronga slipway on Saturday.
The A11 barge, built in Echuca in 1911, was retrieved from its old Mildura bridge resting place by the Rivers and Riverboat Historical and Preservation Society in January 1994 and restored over a period of 18 months.
Society president Jim Vale yesterday said the launch went wonderfully well with the barge in the water by about 1.30pm.
In October 1996, when most of the hard restoration work had been done, the barge was burnt out when a faulty bilge pump caught fire.
The bow was extensively damaged, and the barge sank at its mooring site.
Mr Vale said the A11 would be permanently moored at the old Mildura Homestead wharf, along with the Paddle Steamer Success which was the society’s next major project.
Mr Vale said the group worked to preserve the barge and other river craft for historical purposes.
The rabbit calicivirus has been “spectacularly” successful in areas like the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park.
This is according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s pest and animal officer for the Mallee, Laurie Hocking. Mr Hocking, who is based in Swan Hill, said the disease had decimated rabbit numbers in Hattah-Kulkyne, which was part of a major national surveillance project monitoring calicivirus.
Calcivirus was introduced into five sites in Victoria in September 1995.
Ecological management officer for Parks Victoria, Peter Sandell, based in Mildura, said rabbit numbers had been monitored at Hattah-Kulkyne since 1991, when a spotlight check was introduced.
Mr Sandell said in 1991 the Hattah-Kulkyne rabbit population density was five to 10 per spotlight kilometre.
Currently it is down to 0.1 rabbits per spotlight kilometre, or one rabbit per 10km, a massive reduction. Mr Sandel said there was no evidence of a recovery in rabbit numbers.
