Reflections from the past

By Riverine Herald

May 18, 2025

Taken in May 1975, this photo is of Melbourne professional golfer, Geoff Kelly, showing the finer points of golf to boys attending the special camp being staged at Echuca Golf Club over three days. Photo by Riverine Herald

50 years ago May 1975

A grant of $60,000 has been made to the Moama Pre-School Association for a new pre-school.

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This has been announced by the Member for Murray, Mrs Mary Meillon.

The association president, Mr David Henderson, said the association was yet to receive official notifications.

The association has yet to obtain a block of land for the pre-school, but moves were underway, he said.

The association’s aim was to have the new pre-school operating next year.

At present, pre-school children from Moama have to go to centres in Echuca.

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A banker with almost 30 years of service to his credit was welcomed to Echuca by 100 guests, at an informal function at the local branch of the Commonwealth Banking Corporation.

He is Mr Alan Young, who has been appointed to succeed Mr Arthur Stephens as manager at Echuca.

Mr Alan Young, left, with Mr Arthur Stephens. Photo by Riverine Herald

Mr Stephens, who has received a promotion and a transfer to the bank’s Wangaratta branch, welcomed the guests and introduced three senior executives from Melbourne, present for the dual purpose of welcoming Mr Young to Echuca and farewelling Mr Stephens.

Also present were a number of branch managers from the surrounding districts.

Mr Young commenced his career with the bank in 1946.

During the years, he had served as a cadet officer, in preparation for senior executive positions. He had also served in New Guinea and as a relieving officer in many Victorian country branches.

25 years ago May 2000

Generations will gather at the weekend to celebrate 125 years of St Mary’s Parish. Among them will be a well-known face, 78-year-old Mick Weldon, who has lived in the parish all his life and has been an active parishioner. He made the trip up to the St Mary’s Church choir loft to be photographed with grandson Ashley, 9, a Grade 4 student at St Mary’s Primary School. This coming weekend will be a special day for hundreds of St Mary’s parishioners, including Mick and his family. Photo by Riverine Herald

A third Echuca-Moama Murray River bridge option is being considered.

The new option, for a ‘’no frills’’ central bridge (C3 option), is being looked at in detail along with the W1 western option and the C1 central option.

The new option is likely to be the one chosen for the crossing if the Victorian and NSW governments do not add to the $15 million the Federal Government has contributed to the project.

The Federal Government money would be used to build the actual bridge, with the two states needing to contribute money to fund the approaches to the bridge on each side of the river.

A ‘’no frills’’ option for the bridge was first mentioned at the Murray River Crossing Consultative Committee’s meeting in March.

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A Bamawm-based company’s unique robotic dairy system has received a $70,000 Federal Government grant to explore its market potential.

The Uni-Matic system, designed and built by small district manufacturing firm Feed-O-Matic, was awarded the grant ahead of hundreds of applicants from across Australia.

If all goes to plan, Feed-O-Matic’s 24-year-old principal, Tim Ross, will be travelling to California in August to sell the product and source out potential joint ventures.

He will also study the US market at the University of California in Los Angeles.

Tim’s mentor, Melbourne-based business developer Bob Beaumont, believes the sky is the limit for the Uni-Matic system.

10 years ago May 2015

In the past 12 months almost half a million Australian women reported they had been physically and/or sexually assaulted.

That appalling number is only the reports – and all authorities agree reports are just the tip of the iceberg.

The figures are based on the most recent personal safety survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Domestic violence is the leading cause of death and disability in Victorian women under 45 and costs the state economy more than $3 billion each year.

Echuca-Moama’s rate of violence against women continues to climb and the Centre for Non-Violence, based in Bendigo, is demanding stronger sentencing.

Every week the Echuca Magistrates Court lists are clogged with domestic violence issues.

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Zane Perri has worked really hard at just one thing — being able to work hard.

Sounds easy, but when you are a 19-year-old with autism it becomes something of a challenge.

And it was the one thing his mother Jennafer Whelan could not give him. Until now. Zane proved the critics wrong on Friday when he worked his first day since leaving Echuca Specialist School last year.