St John’s debutantes and their partners in 1975. Pictured are (back from left) Stephen Hassell, Geoff Nicholson, Graham Johnston, Peter Windridge, Rhyce Ham, Trever Windridge, Michael Hassell, Grant Gaston, Sam Haitsma, Hayden Elliott, John Haitsma, Gary Hodson, Bruce Sinclair; (centre) Shane Wolfe, John Kneebone, Michelle Pappin, Jean Haines, Doetje Haitsma, Helen Hoornweg, Elaine Johnston, Jane Sinclair, Rebecca Pappas, Kaylene Wilson, Susan McDonald, Tony Windridge, Alton Wolfe; (front) Jennifer Jackel, Wendy Walkley, Delwyn Houlden, Kerry Sharp, Julie Kneebone, Mr Bernie Moore, Miss Eileen Pineo, Heather Thompson, Faye Taig, Trudi Shaw, Susan Newman and Brett Wileman. Photo by Ann Cole of Underwood Studio, Kyabram.
50 years ago
A small group of Rochester ladies have, over the past 40 years, provided instant assistance to the poor and needy of the town and district, with parcels of food and, maybe, clothing.
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Their actions have never been broadcast, and very few people know of their existence, apart from those who have been helped.
The secret of this untiring labour was revealed when one of the staunchest workers, Mrs Neillie Hall of Rochester East, was honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List with the British Medal for services to the community in connection with the State Relief Committee.
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Rochester SEC employees, 11 in number, recently logged 100,000 man hours without suffering a disabling injury.
A disabling injury is recognised in industry today as a work injury which prevents an employee from working one full day at any time after the day on which the injury occurred.
Mr A.H. Brown, the SEC’s district manager at Rochester, emphasised that the achievement was due to a team effort.
He also said a supervisor could not achieve results on his own and the co-operation of everyone was necessary. This co-operation was apparent in Rochester.
25 years ago
Rochester Community Welfare Group has once again sought to have the Moore St pedestrian crossing upgraded.
Secretary Barbara Wolfe said the present crossing was ineffective because it was not a designed pedestrian crossing.
However, some people, believing that it was such a crossing, put their lives at risk stepping out in front of traffic in the belief they had the right of way.
The community welfare group concerns are shared by the Rochester Neighbourhood Watch community, which has lobbied for some time to have road markings and/or lights for the crossing.
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Rochester’s community internet facility is up and running with seven-day-a-week access.
The on-line computer and print set-up was completed last week after installation at Rochester Video.
Campaspe Shire provided the facility, with similar services installed in nine other locations across the shire, including Lockington and Toolleen.
Rochester Video proprietor Brian Leddin with customer Margaret Godden at the new community internet facility.
The installations aim at providing all community members with affordable access to the internet.
After Rochester Citizens Advisory Group was approached by the shire regarding a suitable site, Rochester Video proprietors Brian Leddin and Lyn Coulter offered to house the internet facility on their business premises, ensuring seven-day-a-week access to the internet.
10 years ago
The ‘Lighting up Rochester Recreation Reserve for the Future’ project will deliver competition standard lighting to Rochester’s recreation reserve for netball and football.
Recreation reserve committee member Matt Keating said ‘‘as the Rochester recreation reserve is only one of three ‘regional’ standard reserves in the Shire of Campaspe, it is crucial to renew key assets over time’’.
The project is designed to open up opportunities for new participants in women’s football, night competition midweek netball, night football and the expansion of existing sporting carnivals.
The project will enable higher participation, greater flexibility for programming and additional use of the facility and provide positive economic, community and health and wellbeing outcomes for the community.
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When Lyn Mitchell first started working at Hocking’s Pharmacy in 1965, the world was a drastically different place.
Without the ease of computers, receipts were written by hand.
Prescriptions and floor stock were wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string to take home.
Nothing came in pre-packaged bottles — creams and ointments were mixed by hand on premises.
Lyn Mitchell has celebrated 50 years at the Rochester pharmacy.
Veterinary products were sold with human medication and the pharmacist could supply chemicals to farmers for their crops.
She was 15 when John Hocking hired her as a pharmacy assistant.
Fifty years later, the name has changed to Chemmart Pharmacy but Lyn is still there to greet customers with her dazzling smile.
