Rain and more rain in late May of 1974

I have been asked why there are few references to Murchison, Stanhope and Girgarre on this page this year. In 1974 there was almost no news from these towns in the Rushworth Chronicle. Nagambie news was shown as the paper covered both Goulburn and Waranga Shires.

News of the fortnight was all about the rain and the floods. Rushworth Chronicle had a double-page spread of photos, including men at Murchison filling sand-bags under lights powered by generators and of Ross Shelmerdine in a small boat trying to reach his newly-opened but isolated and badly damaged Mitchelton Winery. The winery placed a big notice in the following edition thanking locals for flood relief assistance.

150 mm of rain was recorded at Rushworth over two days in late May, being six inches for us old people. The roads to Stanhope and Tatura were blocked to all traffic for several days.

A new machine called a Compuwriter, “programmed by a type-writer keyboard and a small computer works out the word spacing for the line length”, was to be installed at the Chronicle, said to be “the first installation of this type of machine in Australia”.

Shire of Waranga

Hopes were high when three regional Shires supported Murchison East as a good location for a regional livestock selling complex, to serve the whole of the Goulburn Valley.

Community

For the next summer season of Stanhope Lifesaving Club, Ann Kittley replaced Len Armstrong as President, Len seeking to concentrate on his role as Councillor within Waranga Shire. (The club was due to resume in December, but were on standby in May due to the flooding!)

The new kindergarten opened at Rushworth, replacing the Anglican Church hall venue, operated by Beryl Coyle and Ollie O’Donnell. Foundation kids photographed and named included Timothy Collard, Liza Heath, Scott Curnick, Meagan Perry, Dianne O’Donnell, Anne Greenaway, John Baldwin, Peter Cheatley, Debbie Rogerson, Shaun Risstrom, James Cogan, Joanne O’Donnell, Brendan Horne, Chris Garvey, “Brenda” (Brendan, I suspect) Roberts, Kelly Cameron, and an angelic-looking Angela Barlow. (I know John Baldwin has sadly passed, but how can all these other little kids now be 54?)

Waranga Memorial Hospital street stall had raffles heavily disguised as “competitions”. Terry Gleeson took home the boxed towels to give to his mother Mary and Ian Borger won the box of groceries.

Personal

Barber Peter Radanov retired from business, in or next to the shop now known as Balloons and Stuff. (Fishing was Peter’s favourite topic when cutting your hair. He loved fishing and some of those who drove him out to the Basin were favoured with free trims. Yabbies were his preferred bait.)

Mrs Annie Stewart of Rushworth died. She was the grandmother of several, including readers Sheena Daykin (nee Weaver) and Graeme and Robert Wall.

Fred Wall, 87, of Seymour and formerly of Rushworth, died. He was the paternal grandfather of Graeme and Robert Wall. If attending Philomena Stewart’s kitchen tea at Wanalta, gifts were desired to be coloured teak and oatmeal. (I could not possibly have made that up!)

Football

In both the Goulburn Valley and Kyabram District footy, one round was cancelled due to flooded grounds.

Colbo went to the top of the ladder and favourites for the flag, kicking 9-15 to beat Tooborac 5-7. Mentioned were McCubbery, I. Reid, Hammond, F. Stewart, B. and P. Tuohey, Slimmons, Albiston, McEvoy and Emsley, which was half the team.

Colbo Seconds were nine points behind in the last quarter but rallied to win 5-12 to 5-3, with Trevor Cheatley booting two goals, and Kevin McTaggart, Bill and Trevor Johnson named as best.

Without injured captain-coach Alec Horne (replaced by Geoff Hawking) and losing Mick O’Sullivan (crook neck) and Warren McKeown at half-time, Rushworth were up against it, scoring 12-9 to Heathcote’s 18-11. Big Heathcote wood-cutter Denis Pangrazio kicked six goals, as the Saints ran away in the last quarter. Three goals each to Ian Williams and Ian Cruz, joined in best players noted by Alf Raglus as John Raglus, Ross Williams, David Farrer, David Perry, Bill and Herb Barlow.

Rushworth Seconds scored 9-6 to beat Heathcote 5-1, goal-sneakers being Lurch Hoyling and Neville Thompson with two each. Named as best were Neville, David Roberts, Geoff Wall, Ian Cruz and R. Jackson.

Rushworth Seniors were successful over Elmore, 12-16 to 10-7, with Bob Hurley again in the goals with four. Alf reported best players as Glen Heily, Ross Williams, Roger Barnes, Herb Barlow, John Lambden and Alec Horne.

Golf

There was no golf played one weekend at Rushworth as parts of the course were submerged (and some players could not swim)! The following weekend Bob Barlow and Jack Laurie won, over neighbours Gordon Raglus and J. P. Williams.