Pride of the Bulldogs: Merrigum Football Club’s new double storey clubrooms were completed in 1979 after two Merrigum builders shared the role in completing the two stage building.
Two-time winner: Kyabram golfer Glenda Prior won her second Kyabram Apex Club Sportstar of the Year award for 1978-79.
1979
Twenty-one-year-old golfer Glenda Prior was named the Kyabram Apex Club Sportstar of the Year winner for 1978-79.
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It was the second time she had won the award, having been the 1975-76 award recipient.
Among her many achievements were a win in the Victorian country championships, the Goulburn Valley championship and the Valley View championship.
She attended the function with fiance Russell Ivill and was one of nine monthly award winners to attend the function.
Best Contribution to Local Sport was won by veteran tennis ace Bill Stone, who received the inaugural Jack Arthur Trophy.
That trophy was presented by the late Mr Arthur’s son, Mervyn.
• Merrigum Football Club was the envy of the Kyabram district league after its new clubrooms were officially opened.
The $75,000 building, which was built in two stages, was funded by the Shire of Rodney and started in 1977.
Merrigum builders Les Cooper and Bert Henderson were responsible for the works and the previous clubrooms had been demolished to make way for a car park.
• Regional education director Noel Brain was the focus of parents attention with the suggestion a bus service from Kyabram to Echuca Technical School was under threat of being stopped.
Kyabram Town Council was flying the flag for families, although a directive from the education department to have students attend the nearest school threatened access for students from Kyabram to the overcrowded Echuca school
Sports stars: In 1979 these were some of the nominees for the Sportstar of the Year award. (From left) Doug Cox (football), Bob Pate (cycling), Glenda Prior (golf), Barbara Murphy (swimming) and John Clarke (football).
1989
Tongala lawn bowlers Geoff Cameron and Geoff Tinning were named the Kyabram Apex Club’s Sportstars of the Year for 1988-89.
They beat a crack field of 15 finalists to win the title, having clinched the 16th annual award by winning the state pairs bowls championship in March last year.
For Cameron it was a second sportstar award, having won it outright in 1987 after winning the state country singles final and being runner-up in the overall state championship.
Compere for the evening was Apexian David Slimmon, while special guest was Shepparton’s champion badminton player Mike Scandolera. He had just won a gold medal in the mixed doubles at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.
Bowling royalty: Geoff Cameron and Geoff Tinning after being named the Sportstars of the Year for Kyabram. They received their awards from Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mike Scandolera.
• Kyabram Fire Brigade recognises employers of their volunteers at a special event — paying tribute to those businesses that allowed their employees to drop tools and respond to emergencies at any time of their working day.
Among those at the event, and businesses awarded a thank you certificate, were: Chris Salter (Salter’s Panel Works), Bert Wileman (V/Line), David Luscombe (SEC), Basil Turner (Containers), John Costello (Town of Kyabram), Kevin Walker (Rural Water Commission), Robyn Curtis (Morrison and Sawers), Brigade captain John Roberts and Russ Howell (Kyabram Rotary Club), Ian Jensen (Jensen Engineering), John Martin (Kyabram Apex Club), Geoff Squires (Fred C Johns), John Hausler (Henry Jones IXL) and Wayne Staff (Frontline Motor Cycles).
Kyabram Mayor, and a former Fire Brigade member, Chris Salter said it was businesses who should be thanking the brigade.
He said Kyabram was very proud of its firefighters and business owners were only too happy to help out in a small way to keeping the community safe.
Business appreciation: In 1989, Kyabram Mayor and businessman Chris Salter, a former Kyabram Fire Brigade volunteer himself, was among those thanked by brigade captain John Roberts for allowing staff to serve the organisation.
• A $4 million stockfeed manufacturing plant was announced for Tongala, with Coprice Stockfeed Division of Ricegrowers Cooperative Limited, announcing a dozen workers would be initially employed on the site.
The company considered a number of sites, but council gifted the company six hectares of land worth $50,000 and offered rate concessions over a five year period - based on production — to seal the deal.
At the time there was only one other Coprice plant, in Leeton, NSW.
Deakin Shire President Cr Bruce Elborough said this was a welcome addition given the recent loss of jobs in the town with the relocations of the Rural Water Commission and Riverine Artificial Breeders.
Dotted line: Director of Coprice, Knox Durrant (front), with Deakin shire Councillor Frank Farrell, shire president Bruce Elborough, Coprice MD Jim Kennedy, direcotr George Rathbone, manager Keith Hutten and Deakin Shire secretary Greg McKenzie.
• One of the largest tomato processing plants in the country — worth $11.5 million — was planned to be built in the old Girgarre Cheese Factory.
H.J. Heinz Company Australia announced its intention to employ 70 people in the first stage of the project, completing a coup for the Deakin Shire Council.
It followed the announcement of a stockfeed plant and $3 million for the Downunder Pub development at Kanyapella.
1999
Merrigum singer Michael Tenace produced his first CD and launched it at Kyabram Bocce Club, recording Don’t Le Me Go in Collingwood’s Studio 52.
The CD had 14 covers and featured the original title song. He teams with his son Anthony in the popular Horizon Duo and the production had been 25 years in the making.
Music man: In 1999, Merrigum musician Michael Tenace finally released his first CD, after 25 years of performing music in the region.
• Haslem Street Primary School at Kyabram was allocated $1.2 million from the state budget for a planned re-build.
It will provide a new library, four new classrooms and an upgrade of the administration area — freeing up the multi-purpose facility and allowing for plans to continue for a new school canteen.
Principal Ivan White, who met with Member for Rodney Noel Maughan for the announcement alongside school council president Ian Hilton, and captains Brett Deledio and Amy Walley said it would be a game-changer for parents and students.
Jan’s last day: Jan Rye at Knyvetts Newsagency in 1999 (right), with Sue Marco, Anita Ciavarella, Joanne Linklater and Judy Harris.
• Jan Rye ended 36 years of work at Knyvetts Kyabram Newsagency, alongside bosses Alan and Doris Knyvett.
Jan started working at the agency in 1964 when it was run by Frank Sanguinetti, with her only other managers the Knyvetts and Gib Pockney.
The Knyvetts took over in 1968 from Gib and had been there ever since.
2009
After almost 44 years with Kyabram newspapers, several as its manager, Ian Purdey announced he was leaving the Free Press.
One of the most popular, and respected, figures in the town he had a seemingly endless energy for community work through his professional role and even more at a personal level.
In a Free Press article he was described as “the face, the heart and soul of the Free Press”.
Saying goodbye: After more than four decades Ian Purdey (in the vest fifth from right) said farewell to staff at the Free Press.
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