Shearing in the pub in late February 1975
Stanhope and District Apex Club joined with Stanhope Lions Club to form a committee to do a feasibility study on options for sites to locate a Community Health Centre. This action had been recommended by the committee managing Waranga Memorial Hospital. It was hoped to replace the consulting room behind the pharmacy operated by Stephen Hopley.
Dr Tai was announced to be commencing at Rushworth and Stanhope, according to the Waranga Hospital Committee. (It was not to be a happy appointment. Stay tuned.)
The Criterion Hotel put on a display of sheep shearing, can you believe it? Graeme “Ginger” Perry had his elbow bent on the handpiece, John and Rod Lockwood managing equipment and on the broom, with Stephen McArdle supervising and in charge of refreshments. There was a front page photo but not of sufficient quality to reproduce here.
Community
Hume Street Rushworth was the venue for scouts from throughout the Rodney Group to contest the annual billycart derby. Catchers and hay bales slowed the racers after their 250 metre contest down the hill. (Can you imagine the insurance and other red tape for such an event today?)
Schools
Rushworth Primary preps were tested when “Chris Garvey brought a red-back spider to school in a jar”. That took the spider population in the classroom to six. All were alive.
There was excitement in Grades 1 and 2 as “Wayne told us about four kangaroos that hopped across in front of the school bus”. Six non-swimmers from Grades 4 and 5 were receiving daily swimming lessons from Mrs Johansen, and seven children in the same class “are now allowed to write with pen”.
Darren Clarke was the hero of Grades 5 and 6, after bringing a “small tortoise to school”, together with worms to feed him. He was kept in the fish tank and had been timed underwater for 2 minutes and 8.5 seconds. (Just thought you might like to know!)
The House swimming sports saw superfish Claire Meagher (now Campbell) retain her girls champion title, with Stephen Crosbie taking the boys’ award. In the all-important duck dive, the best ducks were Paul Beck, Jamie Poulson and Wendy Hawking. The wading race for boys under six years was won by Wayne Martin, M. Garvey the quickest of the girls.
Rushworth High School students benefitted from a donation of $400 from the Ladies Auxiliary to purchase new equipment. A remarkable thirty-four mothers attended a meeting, even allowing that there were far fewer mothers employed in the workforce in those days.
Seventeen mothers attended a meeting of St Mary’s Mothers Club, including newcomers Mrs Irene Perry and Mrs Pat Synan. Sister Nora, one of the nuns, addressed the meeting on priority items needed in the classrooms and the playground.
Stanhope Primary School mothers also met, with Mrs B. Stewart re-elected as president, Mrs J. Murray as secretary and Mrs G. Roberts the treasurer. Others on the committee were Mrs M. Adams, Mrs S. Spiby, Mrs S. Armstrong, Mrs J. McCague, Mrs G. Hitchcock, Mrs M. Poole, Mrs M. Coulston and Mrs R. Johnson.
Personal
Ian Micheel from near Elmore married Dianne Perry of Rushworth, with the wedding photos tested by high winds as the bridal party left the Anglican church. Matrons of honour were Dianne’s sisters Helen and Ethel, and her twin brother Pluto was a groomsman. Mrs Salter played the organ, Rev. D. McDougall conducting the service, and the celebrations were held at the Shire Hall.
Chris Flynn of Murchison East married Noel Brady, daughter of Mr and Mrs Brian Brady of Murchison. That wedding was at St Brendan’s Catholic Church in Shepparton.
Schoolboy athlete Brendan Clark, sixteen, of Stanhope, competed in 100m, 200m and long jump events at the Victorian Athletic Championships, in the Under-17 division. He was in Form 5 at Rushworth High School and in a family of mostly sporty boys including Gary and Ashley.
There was a tribute to Mrs Edith Fox, aged 90 when she had passed, leaving nine children.
Mr Lance Schade died suddenly at his Stanhope home, aged just 63.
Miss Olive Sprunt of Rushworth turned 90, and was presented with five cakes! She had been the infant mistress at the Rushworth School for an extraordinary 28 years from 1922 until retirement in 1950. She was born at Burrumboot East in 1885, and at just fifteen years began her teaching at Nathalia, and later taught at Teal Point near Koondrook, Knowsley, Bendigo and Kyneton. (Do we have any readers who were taught by Miss Sprunt?)
Sport
Not sure why it was news for the Chronicle’s front page but in February it was announced that Tooborac Football Club, the reigning premiers, would go into recess until the Heathcote League granted permission to play six local players with the other fourteen to be recruited from anywhere. The battle lines had clearly been drawn.
Murchison Bowls Club president Ron Baker was absent, so Keith Gregory presented Bill Winnell, Kevin Spriggs and Joan Hammond with trophies for winning a mixed event.
Rushworth bowlers Don Perry, Jack Borger, John Aitken and Norm Geisler were the silver medallists in the rinks event within the tournament held by Mooroopna Golf Bowls Club
Playing for Kyabram Cricket Association at Country Week in Melbourne, John Raglus took five wickets for 16 runs against Mininera and 4/21 against Wimmera. Prahran Cricket Club may have spotted this, as he later had several seasons at that club, before playing for Brunswick.
C-grade tennis team at Rushworth was Peter Davidson, Ray Cheatley, Gerard McArdle, Meredith Heily, Karen Oliveiri, and Cathy Poulson, after she was dropped from B-grade the previous week!
B-graders the previous Saturday had been Colin Barlow, Rob Raglus, Ross Burge, David Roberts, Pauline Wootton, Liz Heath, Judy Meagher and Cathy, but after the big loss to Tatura, the selectors had to wield the axe. Out went Cathy!
