Stories

See attachment

YALLOURN - Sir John Monash’s workers’ utopia by Winton McColl
Yallourn, as we all know, was a wonderful town to be born in, raised, schooled and to work in. The opportunities were seemingly endless. The services were probably second to none. Quality schools, kindergarten, library, medical services, theatre, sporting facilities etc etc for both males and females. Yes, it was pretty much the utopia that Monash intended.
The sporting achievements were many. Thanks to Roger Spaull, the history of the football club is now there for us all to read, enjoy and remember. Yes, the town… more

1928 BURIED ALIVE
This newspaper report is from 1928 and is another example of the lucky escapes that some workers had from injury or death in the course of their duties at the power station and the coal mine at Yallourn. In this extract, Mr Bloomfield was actually buried by coal in a bunker; and it was only the knowledge, experience and quick-thinking of a fellow worker that saved him from death.
A search of newspaper reports from that era shows that not all workers were as fortunate as Mr Bloomfield. One year before this accident occurred, an employee of the SECV, named… more

YALLOURN BRANCH OF THE HOUSEWIVES ASSOCIATION
The following article, related to the AGM of the Yallourn Branch of the Housewives Association, was published in the ‘Morwell Advertiser’ on the 15th February 1934.
The names of the elected office-bearers are listed and brief mention is made of Rachel Robinson who spoke at the meeting. Rachel was secretary of the Victorian Housewives Association for thirty years and was an unsung heroine in advancing the quality of life of families in earlier times.
‘Morwell Advertiser ‘ 15th… more

This is how the house floor plan was when the Hender family lived here between 1957 and 1965.
Click on pdf to view.

THE LOST BOY FROM YALLOURN
This newspaper extract, regarding young Harry Rickard’s journey to Melbourne, was published in the ‘Traralgon Record’ in 1932. The story began when Harry, who was just four years of age, attended the celebrations associated with the opening of the Sir John Monash Memorial Monument in the Yallourn Town Square gardens.
Harry’s adventure to the ‘big smoke,’ on that day in 1932, would have been a major topic of conversation around Yallourn that week…it would certainly be big news nowadays.
… more

Where did Sir John Monash statue go after Yallourn?

The Town That Isn’t There

I grew up in an industrial company-town in Victoria, from the time I was nine until I left school at sixteen.

My father emigrated from Wales after World War II to find work in Australia as a Blacksmith. He wasn’t shoeing horses as may be imagined, but had experience in heavy engineering in the ship-building industry in our home town. That expertise took him into the manufacture and maintenance of heavy machinery at the Power Station in Gippsland where he found work.

My mother, sister and I followed him to Australia a year later when a new… more

1947 THE RHODES SCHOLAR WHO ATTENDED YALLOURN STATE SCHOOL 4085
This news article was published in ‘The Argus’ and tells of Michael Thwaites’ impending return to Australia, from England, to take up a teaching post at Melbourne University in 1947.
Michael Thwaites was a student at Yallourn State School 4085. In later years, while studying at Melbourne University, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and came to be regarded as one of our nation’s leading academics.
In the comments, related to Yallourn State School, in the 1973 publication of ‘Vision and Realisation’ it is… more