Shire crisis and busy Court House in July 1975
Waranga Shire Council learned that Shire vehicles needed replacement, plant was aging, and equipment was an issue. Running costs were up. Breakdowns were costly. Rising wages added to concerns, and staff positions were no longer fundable. Workers compensation insurance premiums had doubled. (The only thing not high would have been staff morale.)
For the umpty-third time, Council discussed safety concerns at Whroo’s Balaclava mine. An advisor suggested that “tunnels into the mine could be re-opened and the area developed as a working model of mining in the period”. (Sounds ambitious.)
Doctor
It was announced that Dr Knox Jamieson. O.B.E., would commence at Rushworth in early October. He had been a Presbyterian church missionary doctor in the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu.
Court, or caught
Magistrate Mr A. J. Curtain at Rushworth remanded three escapees from Dhurringhile Rehabilitation Centre to appear in Shepparton Court. They had cut wire from a first floor dormitory window at the Centre, then used a rope to slip away, walking across country to Rushworth, met in the street by Sergeant Durston who encouraged them to accompany him to the station. The men reported colliding with a few electric fences on their expedition.
Coroner
Coroner Curtain, reviewing the drowning of two young people after an overnight vehicle accident near the Basin Outlet in April, praised farmer Ron Wootton for rescuing two others from the water, saying that he had saved their lives.
Schools
St Mary’s Mothers’ Club had new President Mrs Pat Barlow, who had seen twelve of her children enrolled at the school. Mrs Avard was secretary and Mrs Julie Barlow treasurer. A big issue was the design of the sports uniform for girls in Grade 4 and upwards.
Grades 4 and 5 at the Primary School were making anti-smoking posters. More threatening in tone was news that “our parents are coming to school to collect our reports. They will find out how we have been working”.
Grades 5 and 6 had found a 1967 newspaper, with “a picture of three-year-old Wendy Hawking at a fancy-dress contest, and a picture of Darryl Roberts when he was eight”. (Ask Wendy Morgan about this if you see her in Colbo.)
Community
Addressing Rushworth-Colbo Apex Club was Jack Davenport, President of the Goulburn Valley Sheltered Workshops Committee, explaining how they sought meaningful employment for people with disabilities.
A Shepparton performance of the stage show “No No Nanette” included chorus girls from Rushworth, Mrs Zane Poulson, her daughters Catherine and Louise, and Vicki Durston.
Joining Brownies at Murchison was Rachael Hammond, with Jenny Tuena joining Guides and following sisters Kerry and Claire.
Rushworth Guides Janet Hawking and Fiona Taylor were selected to attend Britannia Park camp near Healesville the following January, allowing six months to prepare.
Geoff Durston’s report to the Youth Club AGM noted that the RSL Hall was being broken into on weekends. Without criticising the RSL, he said the Hall was no longer suitable for youth work, the toilets were shocking, and the hall itself faced closure. He urged a search for a new premises. One or two new leaders were needed for the boys.
A large crane was used when an old tram was removed from behind a Rushworth cafО, prior to its planned restoration at Forbes in NSW.
Personal
Kathy and Eddie Clarke welcomed Adam’s sister Rachael Susan at Kyabram Hospital, with a nice photo in the paper.
Patrick and Patricia Stewart welcomed fourth child Jaqueline at Waranga Memorial Hospital where Patricia had worked previously as a nurse.
Buried at Colbinabbin cemetery was Charles Price aged 82. He had been a farmer and grocer at Colbinabbin for many years in the 1930s and 1940s, before retiring to Heathcote in 1950.
Seed wheat and barley, phone Tom Morgan, Colbinabbin 75. Lara Seed Barley, top quality, unpickled, phone Claude Stone Colbinabbin 20. (If those phone numbers are not answered, leave a message after the tone.)
Richard Sullivan and sister Rhonda, formerly of Rushworth, set out on a world trip, Richard having been selected as Trans Australian Airlines (T.A.A.) apprentice chef of the year.
Bob McLean and Trevor McArdle were introduced as new representatives for Elder Smith Goldsborough Mort, these days just known as Elders.
Football
Top-of-the-ladder Nagambie were too strong for Murchison who sat second, the latter having success in the Seconds and Thirds.
“Very inconsistent umpiring” was reported when Colbo belted Elmore by 83 points, 16-17 to 4-7. Egan got seven goals and the half-back line was Bryon McIntosh, Ian Reid, and Bryon’s neighbour Ken McMurtrie. Gerry Brown was 19th man and Ross Burge was 20th.
Mounts were coming good at the end of the season, as usual, defeating Rushworth 17-12 to 15-9, with Bill Whatley and Terry Frawley booting three goals each for the victors. John Bianco and my mate the other Alan McLean got four each for the Tigers. John Lambden, Mark Mackinder and Ross Williams appeared in the best players, while the Mountain men were well served by Frank Tuohey, John Tuohey and Barney Tuohey.
Heathcote League hopes of adding a new team from Strathfieldsaye in 1976 were gone, as a club could not be created. (Thirty years later a senior club was formed and joined the strong Bendigo League, with success.)
Other sport
Rushworth golf course was being damaged with many un-replaced divots, as reported by the Associates. Marjorie Hawking won a B-grade event, on a countback from Norma Bolden.
45 stableford points were recorded by A-grader Mal McLeod, 44 to J.P. Williams and Reg McIntosh. B-grader and schoolboy Jimmy McIntosh got 46 points, saying, “I beat the old man!”
Juniors Paul Hicks and Patrick Bourke did well at Murchison golf.
John Greenaway of Stanhope South was burning up the Stanhope Car Club hill-climb track near Corop, in his lightweight Mini, weighing just nine hundredweight (450 kilos).
It was getting late in the winter but a meeting was called to form a table tennis association and elect a committee for 1975. Contact John Raglus, Alan Mee or Robert Bull if you wish to enter a team.
