Heavy penalties dished out at Rushworth Court
Early March of 1976 saw quite a queue lined up at Rushworth Court House.
A fire without a permit in long dry grass at a property on the corner of Wigg and Nicholson Streets, set the owner back $200, Sergeant Durston on the case.
A motorcyclist was clocked at 150 kph while holding a pillion passenger, but not actually holding a licence. Three weeks in gaol was one of the penalties, together with fines and disqualifications.
A local motorist also overlooked to have a licence and lost the opportunity to apply for one for another two years. $350 was the fine, 170 kph the speed.
A Rushworth youth was committed for trial in Shepparton, charged with setting fire to a building.
Schools
Doing well at St Mary’s school swimming sports were Noel McEvoy, Denise McEvoy, Kay Densley, Heather Pearce, Ann Shaw, Peter Cogan and Ann Cheatley.
Preps at Murchison Primary included Mack McAlister, Justin Anderson, Robyn Sherwood, Graeme Baker, Melanie German, Leonie Cocker, Sally Hammond, Peter Scarborough, Sammy Eyles, Jason Bowden, Scott Bowden, Sandy Graham, Wendy Milne, Sharon Ferguson, Linda Winfield, Claire Newton and Nicky Lee.
Rushworth High School invited locals to enrol in evening art classes.
Community
Ahead of winter, Rushworth CWA members were knitting woollen garments for the Royal Children’s Hospital.
The planned Community Health Centre for Stanhope registered $2,161 in donations, reported by treasurer Norm Smith. The old butcher’s shop in Birdwood Avenue was to be renovated to become the centre.
Stanhope Guides travelled to Lauderdale homestead for blackberry picking. They also hiked to the private museum operated by John Hancox.
Rushworth Methodist Church Property Board planned to hold winter table tennis in the church hall, coordinated by Ron Risstrom, Keith Taylor, Graeme Hawking and Alf Raglus.
People
Rushworth Primary School teacher Graeme Ross and his family travelled to Horsham for an Apex Club fishing competition. 4,543 entries were received. That sounds a tight squeeze along the banks of the Wimmera River. Graeme hooked a winner with 2000 fish reported caught. (Hmmmn, fishing stories.)
Cherryl West of Girgarre was engaged to Geoff Amery of Kyabram.
Tennis
Junior boys’ champion at Rushworth was Joe Barlow, after victory over his brother Steve. Wendy Meagher was girls’ champ, no mention of the runner-up.
Rushworth 2 team in A-grade were no match for Toolamba, down 41 to 89, Peter Meagher, Peter Raglus, Graeme Bolden, Chris Geisler, Doreen Wall, Faye Burge, Patricia Stewart and Judy Meagher being disappointed.
D-grade were successful over Dhurringile Blue, thanks to Ernest Jones, Wayne Raglus, Peter Davidson, Cec Constable, Judy Raglus, Yvonne Laurie, Heather Jones and Susan Barber.
Bowls
Rushworth Bowls Associates Champion Jean Jessup lost her match in the Champion of Champions competition, after play was interrupted for 40 minutes due to a heavy thunderstorm.
The Club’s fortnightly triples evening attracted 60 bowlers, as Jack Cooper (s), Mary Bradley, and Alan Hammond defeated Jeff Geddes (s), Elsie Laurie, Norm Geisler and Frank Pardy. (So being triples, the editor had found a fourth name by mistake!) Sunday winners were Clive Wootton (s), Val McArdle, Ron Laurie and Lottie Kennedy.
Selectors chose teams to contest the Goulburn Valley Championships, Jack Borger (s), Jack Pettifer, Cec Bradley and Ron Laurie the selected rink. Bruce Laurie and George Kolenaty were chosen for the pairs’ championship.
Cricket
Rushworth cricketers lost outright to Lancaster, missing the finals by two points. The team’s second innings of 76 was very poor, spun out by Terry Hehir who took 6/23.
72 years ago: Rushworth Cricket Club A-Grade Premiers Kyabram District Cricket Association, 1953-54.
Graeme, aged 14, was included after John Hodgson hurt his back. John had been selected to replace Howard Hawking who had to go to Geelong for pre-season football training. Graeme, the only survivor from 1954, went on to play in six more A-grade premierships in succession from 1961, an achievement which would be rare across the whole of Victoria.
Other sport
Rushworth Homing Pigeon Club presented the season’s trophies, the Old Bird Aggregate award to Fred Miller, the Young Bird Aggregate and the Grand Aggregate awards to Craig Beck.
Colbo Football Club appointed teacher David Pinniger as coach for 1976, Tooborac announcing “Mazza” Bergowicz to lead, after transferring from Broadford.
Rushworth had started football training in March and were headed to Murchison for a practice match, with Robbie Betson as coach.
