Escapes on district roads in late March 1976

Three youths left the scene of a car roll-over at the sweeping railway-crossing bend at Maggie Roberts’s Hill between Rushworth and Moora. Vehicle ownership was unclear.

Graeme Harrison of Stanhope broke both legs and Peter Jeffery of Rushworth injured knees and suffered lacerations, in a vehicle collision 100 metres west of the railway crossing on the Midland Highway near Stanhope. After difficulty in extracting the men from their cars, both were taken to Mooroopna Hospital.

A third serious incident involved the Kennedy family of ten from Girgarre East returning from mass, colliding with a vehicle driven by Brian McGrath of Stanhope. Two Kennedy children were taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, while McGrath’s passenger Jenny Turpin of Girgarre was treated at Mooroopna.

Court

Students from Rushworth High School attended the local court as part of their social studies classes and received a lecture from Magistrate A. J. Curtain on the impact and cost of criminal damage across Australia each year.

Mr Curtain placed two former students on 12-month good behaviour bonds, after finding them guilty of criminal damage to the clock on the War Memorial, adding compensation penalties of $25 each, contributions to the poor box of $50 each, with both to pay $7.50 costs.

Schools

Teachers at the High School who were members of the Victorian Secondary Teachers Association published a statement explaining the reasons for taking strike action.

Photographed at St Mary’s Primary were the 1976 preps class of Stephanie Barlow, Andrew Forte, Edward Tuohey, Ross Davies, Marcus Fortuna, Andrew Jones, Susan Harcoan, Margaret Synan, Rosie Wright, Geraldine Kerrins, Jodi Harrison, Rosalie Honeysett and Stephanie Stewart.

People

Frank and Gloria Benne purchased Parkview Poultry Farm and mixed business in Stanhope Road from Vic and Betty Fitzgibbon.

Kay and Ron Beale welcomed James, joining siblings Karon and Robert at Wandoan in Queensland. They had previously lived at Wanalta, Ron playing football for Rushworth.

Alan and Carol Nurse and son Graeme of Stanhope were joined by Jason.

The engagement was announced of Wendy McGuire and Graeme Wall.

Two former Rushworth residents passed in Melbourne. Mrs Sarah Pocknee, 90, was the wife of a tailor in Rushworth. Mrs Willemena Walbran, 89, widow of George, was associated with Walbrans’ Store, once on the High and Wigg Streets corner where the Telstra building is now.

Joyce Brown, wife of Rushworth pharmacist Ernie Brown, also died.

Tennis premiership

After finishing fourth on the ladder, a 30-game victory in the preliminary final put Rushworth 1 into the A-grade grand final of the Tatura Tennis Association. John Brown, Alan Curnick, Glen Rathjen, Mark Mackinder, Beryl Home, Nan Jessup, Ann Brown and Cheryl Hawking formed the preliminary final team. On standby if needed were Sheila Jamieson and Bill Barlow.

Bill could not have performed well as an emergency. For the grand final, Peter Raglus was named in his place!

The team defeated Murchison by seven games to take the flag, the Rushworth club’s first A-grade flag for five years. John Brown was the gun player, winning his three sets.

Bowls

A novelty closest-to-the-ditch competition at Murchison was won by Greta Baker, Keith Gregory winning the men’s division. Don Polkinghorne and Betty Winnell were other winners.

Rushworth President’s day trophies donated by Geoff and Mary Beck were won by Don Perry, his son-in-law Ian Borger and Ian’s mother Beatrice. 

An annual evening contest between Rushworth and Murchison clubs saw the latter take the honours.

Rushworth Lions Club members tried their hands at bowls. Bowlers George McLeod, Ron Laurie and Noel Merryfull were joined in a team by novice player and Lions President Geoff Durston. (So by my guessing, Geoff has been playing for 50 years, off and on between police duties.)

A special bowls day raised $74 for Legacy, with the associated raffle won by Robert Ryan of Wanalta.

Stanhope’s Mavis Meadowcroft, Jean Roulston and Betty Stokes won a triples tournament at Shepparton.

Football

The Rushworth Club decided to host an Under-17 Lightning Premiership for district clubs, on the Queen’s Birthday weekend in June.

Murchison defeated Rushworth in a practice match; Robert Sloper, Lee Pinner and recruit Neville Whitacker showing out for Murch. Publican George Saynor, new ruckman Tony Ford and young Chris Geisler were named for the Tigers.

76 years ago: Wanalta school 1950. Teacher: Mr Alan Rogers.

Back from left: Kevin Heath, Gerald Heath, Pat Stewart, Harry Pepperell, Laurence Baldwin, Norman Baldwin, Ron Pepperell.

Middle: Doreen Connally, Lena Jackson, Valerie Jackson, Margaret Brown, Margaret Jackson.

Front: Ted Jackson, John Brown, Paul Barlow, Ralph Barlow.

Wanalta school closed in 1963. The site has a cairn on Rushworth – Colbinabbin Road intersection with Groves Weir Road. Note the “ring-ins” from Moora! Moora’s school had closed in the 1920s. The Jacksons and the Baldwin boys of Moora lived almost equidistant from Wanalta and Rushworth, but attended Wanalta school. The Barlow boys, the Heath lads and Pat Stewart later attended St Mary’s school at Rushworth, after it opened in 1952.  (Photo supplied by Pat Stewart.)