Recently added

YALLOURN - YEAR BY YEAR - 1926

The first sod in the Victorian Government’s  ambitious scheme, to generate electricity at Yallourn, was turned almost a century ago (1921); and for the next six decades, the township of Yallourn ‘took root, bloomed, withered  and  died’….

“Yallourn was swallowed by the coal mine it was built to serve”… ‘The Herald Sun’ May 2016.

In this history series for the Virtual Yallourn website, the monthly activities, shown in each year, are not necessarily momentous occasions in the town’s history but simply attempt to further highlight the personalities of the town and the myriad of events that made the local (and often national) news.

Title: First payday on brown coal mine works area.

Caption: Shows seven men, all smiling, some holding pay envelopes.

Source: State Library of Victoria  (Date 1920-30)  Identifier:  H2009.18/359 

Lt Horace Lynch was demobilised from the Australian Army in January 1920, after serving in Gallipoli & the Western Front for 4 years. He returned home to Broken Hill, where he completed his Engineering Apprentice ship with Zinc Corporation. Horace's father & J M Bridge, the first Yallourn General Superintendent, both worked at Zinc Corporation. In 1922, Horace accepted a Maintenance Engineering position in the Yallourn Coal Supply Department, hence he was one of the original engineers employed by the SECV. After living in the Single Men's Quarters, he married Mary Wilson & moved into 12 Maiden Street as it's first tenants in 1923. The Lynch's subsequently lived at 24 & 32 Hillside, finally leaving in 1957 after 35 years of Yallourn residency.

This terrific photograph of two young girls from Yallourn, Susanne Fewster and Dianne Stevenson, was part of an S.E.C promotional article regarding the town library in 1952.

The establishment of the library at Yallourn is a lengthy episode in the town’s history. References, regarding a basic library at the camp, can be traced back to the 1920’s as shown …

Source: ‘Weekly Times’   November 7th 1951.  Page:  19

Caption: “It was a big day for nine-year-old Heather McKay, of Yallourn, Vic., when the Minister for Health, Mr W. O. Fulton, presented her with a bicycle for having raised £10/2/6 during a recent million pennies appeal conducted by the Latrobe Valley Hospital and Health Services' Association.”

Ken, Josephine & Michael Lamin moved to Yallourn on the 5 July 1955 to live at 25 Driffield Road. Ken, a mining engineer, had accepted an Engineering position in the Investigations Section, headed by Tom Adams. Previously, the family resided in Mt Isa where Ken worked for Mt Isa Mines. Photo is of Michael Lamin at the front of 25 Driffield Road, looking towards the Champion's house (Number 27). Second photo is of Michael Lamin on his trike at the back of 25 Driffield Road, looking towards Sneddon's (Number 23). Note the steepness of the block which made the driveways at both 23 & 25 Driffield Road challenging. The Lamin family lived at 25 Driffield Road until the 20 December 1960, during which time Catherine & Tom arrived.

Pictured - John’s retirement day - Springvale High School in April 1964

A LETTER OF GREAT INTEREST FROM WINSOME MENADUE

This photograph was taken at the 50th Anniversary of the Yallourn Golf Club in 1976 . More than 250  people attended the celebrations which were held in the YGC clubrooms .

The above caption included the names of former presidents, captains and life members of the Yallourn Gold Club.  Each member is numbered in the above photograph from 1-17; and the corresponding names are:

THE STORY OF BILL JACKSON’S BATTLE TO PLAY VFL FOOTBALL

What started out as a fairly straight-forward and brief story for the Virtual Yallourn website, about Bill Jackson, ‘mushroomed’ into an article of some length.

Chris Francis, Dianne Robertson, Sandra Prust

1930s

Helen Gregson, Max Fox

1930s (front) & 1940s (back)

Standing:  Jim Donnet, Mardi Pettigrew, Kay Spurrier, Bev Gregory, Dorothy Andrews, Bruce King

Seated:  Helen Gregson, Max Fox

1950s

Back Row:  Collin Johnston, ? , Barry Gust, Stan Hunt, ? , ? , Bob Vincent, Henry Winters, ? , Tric Austin, Veronica Lacey, Carole Hunt

Middle Row: Judy Ross, Bob Docking, ? , Kevin Speairs, ? , David Lewis, Geoff Morgan, David North, Ian Fleming, Tony Smith

Front Row:  Lois Gust, Sally Hardy, Chris Vincent, Susan Wallace, Cheryl Gribble, Denise Cox, Heather Norden, Robin Bavinton

1960-64 - photographer Albie Kenny

Back Row:  Pamela Daddo, ? , Jeannie Abbott, Liz Aspinall, Merlene Wilkinson, Graeme Dowers, Merril Potter, David McLennan, Anne McAllister, ? , Anthony Harwood

Middle Row:  Beverley Mee, Moira Irvine, Dianne Robertson, Helene Wall, Graeme Sneddon, Julie Curtis, Teresa Gorbal, Steve Morgan, ? , Donna Casey, Joy Fielder, John Hall

Front Row:  Carole Sagar, Sandra Prust, Diane Hall, Penny Stitson, Chris Francis, Margaret Horne

1960-64 with Albie

Back Row:  Pamela Daddo, Ann McAllister, Steve Morgan, Graeme Sneddon, Dianne Robertson, Teresa Gorbal, ?, Anthony Harwood, Graeme Dowers, David McLennan, Margaret Horne, John Hall

Front Row:  Diane Hall, Sandra Prust, Carole Sagar, Moira Irvine, Julie Curtis, Albie Kenny, Joy Fielder, Penny Stitson, Merlene Wilkinson, Helene Wall, Beverley Mee, Chris Francis

1965-69

Back Row:  Jan Daddo, Jen Henson, Julie Francis, Leonne Krygsman, Anne-Maree Sneddon, Janee Pippen

Front Row:  Danny Burns, John Gloz, Steve Vanyai, David Hoch, Steve Vella

1970s

Back Row: Kendal Taylor, Bernie Austin, Steve Cox, Doris Jaritz

Front Row: Suzy Taylor, Annie Robertson, Julie Austin, Julie Lacey

Graeme Sneddon, Roslyn Sneddon, Michael Lamin

Suzy Taylor, Bob Vincent, Jim Marshall

Dianne Robertson, Sandra Prust, Steve Morgan