Recently added

Robin Bavinton YHS 1958 - The articles by Henry Winters and Judith Dolan (Dickson), have stirred me into action. I have really enjoyed reading the contributions in the YOGA Newsletter and they have bought back many memories of Yallourn and in particular YHS.

Robert Vincent YHS 1954 Miss Williams was my teacher for grade 5 and 6, in 1952 and 1953 respectively. My moderate success in life can be greatly attributed to Miss Williams and her excellent teaching. My parents and various teachers in the Yallourn Technical School/College also played a significant part, but Miss Williams provided the keystone in my learning processes. One of her attributes was the respect she showed for each pupils. We just knew that we had a special teacher. So, I went to the Tech.

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Peter Wallace YHS 1949 - shares some great recollections with us…….

Pam Street (Parker) YHS 1955 - I have just been into Esk to pick up my mail from our private box, as we don't have a mail delivery to our property 7 kms out of Esk on the Hampton Road. Thank you so much for the Newsletter from YOGA, I was so thrilled to read it, I will send money order next time I get a chance to update Subscription, as I would not like to miss out on news of days gone by. I went to Yallourn State School and started at the grand age of 4, I dearly remember two teachers Miss Williams - Grade 6 and also John Robinson ?

Malcolm Gibson YHS 1962 - Another little personal story on the side which relates to Yallourn residents. My father passed away for some 6 years ago now and last year I decided to walk in the Melbourne ANZAC day march to the Shrine of Remembrance in memory of him. During World War two, he was a Lancaster pilot with several British squadrons and was one of the lucky one third of the members of Bomber Command to survive the war. He was not a member of the RSL, but was a member of a group of fellows who named themselves the Odd Bods Association.

Vivien Wakefield (Gardner) YHS 1953 Wrote - was rapt to receive my first newsletter and couldn't believe all the names for my year, and to even read a bit by Margaret Jenkins (Huther) - I remember her clearly. My dad used to send for our grocery order from Hinkley's store. I used to catch the bus (Cattle Wagon it was called) at La Mode Factory in Morwell. in 1956 (my last year) I was determined that I wanted the front seat at the top, so got to the bus stop at 7.30 so I was first in line. Whatever seat you got was established for the whole year!

Shirley Lockhart (McFarlane) YHS 1946 Wrote that reading the list of names of ex students gave her a huge bout of nostalgia!! A few vivid memories include walking down to the complex where Yallourn cafe was situated, to have music lessons from Miss Mortimer. Shirley remembers being nervous having to play the piano for the big school assemblies – there seemed to be hundreds of staff and students (but there probably weren't!) We always seemed to have "Sussex By the Sea" as one of the songs. After YHS, I trained as a primary teacher and taught for nearly 30 years.

Marion Kossatz (O'Hara) YHS 1945 Matriculated from YHS in 1950 and went to Melbourne Teachers' College in 1951 – qualified as a trained Primary Teacher at 18. I was not old enough to go to University so joined the Primary Service in Vic. I taught till my marriage in 1958; compulsorily resigned and had my 3 children during the next 10 years - Peter, Leanne & Jim.

Jan Houston (McHenry) YHS 1952 Wrote about their grandson, Rhys, a very intelligent, gorgeous young boy, who attends Tanjil Sth Primary. He should have been in Grade 4 but was placed in an accelerator Grade 5. Because of this, he was able to go on a snow camp to Mt Baw Baw for a school excursion. Once up there, the kids had proper skiing lessons and it was on his third day that while practicing, the boy in front fell, Rhys skiid around him but unfortunately hit ice, lost control and plummeted into a tree - head first.

Andrew David Spaull, who was born at the Korumburra Bush Nursing Hospital in 1943, passed away after long illness, at Emerald Hill Residence on 26.1.2019.

Andrew attended the Yallourn State School (4085), commenced High School in 1955 and played football and cricket for Yallourn. Andrew loved the township of Yallourn; and is mentioned by Prue McGoldrick in her book ‘Yallourn Was’ for his submission, which argued against the removal/closure of Yallourn, at the Parliamentary Public Works Inquiry in 1970.

A GALA SPORTS DAY AT YALLOURN The following news article was published in the ‘Morwell Advertiser’ more than 90 years ago; and reported on a specially arranged day of sporting contests for returned soldiers who lived in and beyond the Yallourn-Morwell area.

Alan & Keith Boyle in front of 21 Narracan Ave

Rob Morgan YHS'1959 "OUR 2002 YHS REUNION AND ULYSSES CLUB AGM TRIP" for next newsletter, which included....... Greetings to all fellow YOGArians and very glad that you take the time to stay in touch. We all share a very unique bond that becomes stronger with each event, like the recent '1960's Reunion at Woorabinda. So, a bit of history of myself - I came to Yallourn from Mt Beauty, along with brothers Geoff and Steve, in May'1962.

Merle Walpole (Wood) died last year, aged 85 years. The late Mrs Walpole was born at Geelong but completed her secondary education at Yallourn High School when her family (Florence and Amos Wood) moved to Yallourn in 1927. During her teenage years she led a full life being a member of various youth groups, the Girl Guides and later Rangers, as well as continuing her studies in classical ballet. She was also a member of the Yallourn dramatic society and took part in numerous productions in Yallourn.

Marie Braet (Ellis) YHS '1953 Sent in some information about her family from Yallourn. John Thomas Ellis (Jack) and Mary Ellis (Molly) arrived in Yallourn in 1940. Jack was a painter with the SEC and they had lodgings with Mrs Alexander until a house became available. They were allocated 57 Church Street in the latter part of 1941 where they lived until they moved to 5 Maryvale Rd, where they remained until the demise of the town.

lrene Hunnam (Park) YHS 1952 Shares her memories of Yallourn Hospital with us. lrene's husband, Alan, has recently become ill and we send them both our very best wishes. Remembering the Old Yallourn Hospital: I was one of the very early nursing trainees at the Latrobe Valley Community Hospital in Yallourn, commencing there in 1957. On arrival, I was given a furnished room in the student nurses' home and issued with a grey uniform, resplendent with stiff starched collar, cuffs, cap and white apron.

Winton McGoll YHS 1959 Sent the following article: YALLOURN CHILDHOOD MEMORIES What was it like for a young boy growing up in Yallourn? Growing up as a boy in Yallourn was about as ideal as any budding Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer, or should that be 'Smiley', could possibly dream of. I was born at the Yallourn Hospital in November 1946, a baby boomer. With 3 older brothers (Ron, John and Trevor) in a neighbourhood of kids my own age. Those early years were full of summers. Did it ever rain?

Harold Park died peacefully aged 90 years on 16th January 2001. Harold has been a dear friend to me and my family since 1967 when his son, Stuart, and I became friends at school. Their home then became my 'second home' and I chose to spend more time there than my own (2 bossy sisters at home probably had something to do with that, plus I was spoilt rotten by 'Mrs & Mrs Pee'). We spent many hours’ playing cards & scrabble, listening to Beatles records, drinking many cups of tea, eating marmalade & toast for breakfast and all puffed away on cigarettes (probably another reason).

Grace James (Catchpole) YHS 1945 Wrote to say she was off to the "Stitches & Craft" Show with neighbour Fay Wood (Johnson). Fay was a year behind Grace at Yallourn Primary and High School. While they are away, their husbands, who are volunteers for TADVIC (Technical Aids for Disabled, Victoria) are going to work on a baby cot so that mum, a paraplegic, will be able to get her wheelchair under the cot to attend to the baby. They are also going to adapt the dropsied to two swing gates to make things easier for her to manage. Thank you to Marie McFaul (Elmar) for her good wishes.

The Fletchers - Yallourn 1928 - 1978 Keith Fletcher (YHS 1940) was born at Yallourn Hospital to parents George & Cecilia. They arrived from England in 1924 and George started with the SEC as an Electrical Trades Assistant in the Electrical Workshops (and progressed in a very short time to foreman and upon his death in 1959 he was Electrical Workshops' Superintendent). The family soon moved to 5 Reservoir Rd; rental was 5 shillings per room per week. Joyce Fletcher was born in 1931. Over the years, the Fletchers also lived in Tarwin Grove and Stzelecki Rd.