1978
Assistant cub leader Janine Prigg, cub leader Shirley Nelson and assistant leader Dawn McNeill were recognised with good service awards at a scouting state event.
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They are all long serving volunteers with the scouting movement.
* Rochester Primary School was identified as having an inadequate number of classrooms and although there was sufficient staffing some of the classrooms are too small for the number of children.
Two composite classes had 37 students in the room.
The school had been working hard to have additional classrooms added to the school.
Not long after the initial report a portable classroom was delivered to the school for the second half of the year.
* Edward Cox was presented with life membership of Rochester Jockey Club after a 16-year stint as president.
He was guest of honour at the Hotel Rochester for the presentation after relinquishing the post only 12 months earlier.
* Rochester lost the opening game of the GVL season by one point to Euroa.
Tony Windridge was the Tigers best player, while Peter Clark, Robbie Staley, Geoff Milne and Ron Haring were other good players.
* Andy Howes and Ted Fiedler were named life members of the Rochester Cricket Association.
Their honour took the number of life members to six, alongside Pat Maloney, Graham Hawker, Alan Meyenn and Bruce Hawker.
Club president John O’Connor made the presentation.
* Bruce Watson was awarded life membership of United Cricket Club.
He was the youngest captain in the club’s history and now the youngest life member.
During the 1977-78 season United had seven scores in excess of 200, Rob Aiken winning the batting with 391 runs and a top score of 123.
Rob Staley won the bowling average.
* An appeal to raise $55,000 for the high school assembly hall was launched.
A public meeting to discuss the hall and its use was called with guest speakers from the education department.
1988
Rochester and Echuca hospital boards will not amalgamate.
Rochester hospital action support group chairman Ray Powles said it was, however, no time for Rochester to become complacent.
He said there remained a number of concerns for the future of the hospital and an investigation would occur regarding the rationalisation of services between Echuca and Rochester on a co-operative basis.
* Faye Derrick was recognised as one of Australia’s top crafts people during the art-craft 88 expo at the Royal Melbourne Show.
A wall hanging which took her six weeks to finish won first prize and included 190 pieces of machine made lace and satin squares.
* Rochester High School’s last visible link to its past was torn down, with the Rochester higher elementary school weatherboard building removed from the site.
The building was first condemned in 1957 and vice principal Brian King said it had been condemned several times since.
Due to a lack of space the school was forced to use the building for 30 years after its use by date.
Former principal Ken Nelson said it was time that the building was dismantled.
* David Eefting kicked five goals in the 42-point Rochester win, with support from Darren Hooper (four goals).
Brendan Atley and Darryl O’Neill were prominent for the Tigers against Tongala, along with Simon McCarty.
1998
Rochester development group chairman Peter Anderson was assisted by Mick Wilson in adding ‘Birthplace of Sir Hubert Opperman’ to the bottom of Rochester town signpost.
The group was in the midst of developing a new museum of photos, momentos, articles and equipment from his cycling successes.
* REDHS parted company with CEO Les Manson after the board of management expressed a lack of confidence in his management.
Board president David Kelliher said the future of the facility remained secure and director of nursing Jill Dunbar would assume the role in the interim.
* Rochester named its new secondary college captains and student representatives.
Among the appointments were Rebecca Whitlock, Leon Moon, Kristen Eddy, Elle McGenniskin, Natalie Whitlock, Brendan Hicks, Sam Brennan, Sharon Loorham, Stuart Dunstan, Brooke Watson and Tamara Oliver.
* Rochester started its 1998 season with a five point win against Tatura, David Williams kicking five goals and Robbie Miller three as Brad Sparks earned three votes for his mid-field effort.
Anthony McPhee, Tim Rasmussen and Jeremy Campbell were also good players.
* Venturers Daniel Staley, Stuart and Shayne Dunstan, Paul Anderson and Thomas Dempsey made history by bringing home the title from the premier venturers hiking competition.
The Rochester unit has finished runner-up once before, but had not won the title.
They had to complete 28 challenges on the 20 square kilometre hiking course.
2008
The future of Rochester’s Random House is not expected to be known for another two months.
A planning application for an aboriginal healing centre was being heard at a VCAT hearing.
The tribunal hearing went for three days with a group of Rochester residents objecting to the plan.
* Helen Crilly played her 300th game of netball for Rochester.
The defender started in 1991 and her career involved playing for three grades.
She was a former two time B grade GVL best and fairest winner and also a B reserve best and fairest.
She also has 14 Rochester club b&f titles to her credit.
She coached and played in a 2004 B reserve premiership with Rochester.
CORRECTION
Last week’s Reflections had a incorrect christian name, former Rochester policeman Stelios “Tass’’ Gavalakis incorrectly named Tim.
That, of course, was not his name and we apologise for the error.
Campaspe News