Stories

YALLOURN FIRE STATIONS

The first fire station (not a lot is known about this station) was located in the town square. Built in the 1920s, its first captain was Mr C Fenner.
Fires that occurred during this station's reign: In 1926 Yallourn was threatened when fires reached the north bank of the river, 1930 a bushfire at the BCM township was attended by Yallourn’s new yellow petrol-driven fire horse, 1932 the first house fire in Yallourn occurred on 16 January. The house in Meadow Lane was totally destroyed. 1939 Black Friday raged throughout the State causing over 70 deaths, at… more

YALLOURN SWIMMING POOL

The first swimming area (a natural bathing spot) was improved by the Working Men’s Club, Western Camp, and assisted by residents from Yallourn and Brown Coal Mine. It opened on Sunday, 19 January 1927 in the Latrobe River, nicknamed “Fanny bay” close to the Power Station where remnants of it still exist along the side of the Moe Yallourn Railtrail.

An area was later established in Yallourn for a pool and on the 23 December 1936 was filled with water used for many years before being drained.
A new 8 lane Olympic size pool, situated near the corner… more

THE HEALTH & INFANT WELFARE CENTRE

A welcome adjunct to the hospital was the Health Centre, opened in August 1928 also designed by La Gerche, it was sited on the town square and managed by Mr EW Poynter of Morwell. It also had a patients consulting room and a dental clinic. The Infant Centre opened in November 1947 on Service Road, built by the SEC and it was run by nuns.

A group of mothers started the Yallourn Infant Welfare Centre Social Club in 1956 After much voluntary work by a large body of women the town gained an important amenity in July 1948 when the… more

YALLOURN FOOTBALL CLUB ~THE RODDA-TROOD MEDALLISTS 1953-1986

Jimmy Shaw was the only Yallourn player to have won the Rodda Medal for the Best and Fairest Player in the Central Gippsland League.

The award was instituted in memory of a young Morwell footballer Fred Rodda (23) who died from internal injuries that were sustained in a match against Yarragon in 1935. Despite surgery, Fred died in hospital. In 1936, the CGFL re-named its Best and Fairest Award to the Rodda Medal.

Jimmy Shaw had a stellar year in 1953 and polled 20 votes to win the medal from Noel Ross (… more

YALLOURN HOSPITAL

Designed by La Gerche and with a similar style to the Hotel, the Hospital opened on January 13, 1929 by Sir John Monash. About 2,000 people attended the official opening costing with equipment over 32.000 pounds ($50,000). It had 24 beds and heating and all other services were operated electrically which meant the hip roof was unbroken by chimneys. When it opened, its staff consisted of two sisters and three nurses. From the day it opened, the hospital was busy and on some occasions even taxed to capacity, especially when an epidemic occurred. Scarlet fever broke… more

YALLOURN HOTEL

Situated on one of the town’s main corners, opposite the railway station, was the two storeyed hotel with its Spanish Mission influences of triple arches and the small balcony over the entrance. Built by the Electricity Commission and opened on October 1, 1928, at a cost of 30,000 pounds ($47,000), the hotel used electricity extensively in its all-electric kitchen and bar which were the height of modernity. The first Christmas dinner was in 1928 which was such a success that it started a tradition. Thereafter, tables had to be booked well in advance of the festive… more

FRANK KELLY - 1910-1982

Others readers who have examined the photograph of the 1950 Yallourn Football Club on the Virtual Yallourn website would be excited to read the
name Frank Kelly (middle row-centre).

In 1950 Yallourn was affiliated in the Central Gippsland Football League. The history of the league is thin and not readily available, but is it has
been confirmed that Frank Kelly coached Yallourn for several years.

Frank Kelly was a high profile sporting identity and a dynamic footballer and inspirational coach. Former Yallourn captain/coach and… more

My love of AFL and country football has never diminished and my research and writings about football never fail to throw up surprises and interesting
stories of the lives of men, country clubs and towns.

The Virtual Yallourn website carries several brilliant photographs of former Yallourn Football Club teams. The photos bring back strong memories of the great players who played for Yallourn and, of course, the personalities who made our club such an important part of our lives.

Some of the readers of Virtual Yallourn maybe interested to know that the photograph of the… more

Educational needs were recognized as early as 12 February, 1922 when the Yallourn State School No 4085 was opened with 13 pupils. The first school building was a weatherboard cottage at No 4 Hillside. By 1923 enrolment had reached 139 pupils, they came from the Camps and outlying areas, so a move to new and bigger buildings in Outlook Road was needed. This would become the Secondary School when a new Primary school was opened in 1932, on the corner of Fairfield Avenue and Banksia Crescent. A Catholic Primary School had also opened in the St Therese’s church hall staffed by two sisters of… more

I made this film back in 2006 as part of a show down in the Latrobe Valley as part of the commonwealth games cultural festival. To make the film I interviewed a number of YOGA members and other former residents of the town (whom, I'm sure, some of you will recognise) and then worked with the kids at the Yallourn North Primary school to animate their stories.