1978
Rochester Football Club won its second match for the season when they avenged an early season one-point loss to Euroa by beating the Magpies by 65 points.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Fullback Jack Mullane was best on ground in the victory, with the Tigers targeting the match and preparing with a breakfast of steak, eggs and bacon, along with toast, tomatoes, orange juice and coffee.
They were addressed by club president Bob Knight and coach Bill Evely at the breakfast, announcing secretary Peter Donaldson had resigned from his position, the water bailiff citing a new position with his employment making it impossible for him to continue.
Rochester was second bottom after 12 rounds, with only Kyabram below it on the ladder. Rob Aitken kicked four goals in the win, ruckman Ron Haring was outstanding and Rod Watson, Steve Kauffman and Bruce Sinclair were also stars.
– Rochester’s Ron Williams featured in an advertisement with world champion race-car driver Jack Brabham at Calder Raceway.
Mr Williams had been testing the new Goodyear Super Specials (tyres), being the owner/operator of Rochester Tyre and Accessory Store in Moore St.
– A new record had been created mid-way through the season by Rochester’s Under-17 team, in the top five for the first time since the club had joined the Goulburn Valley.
Dennis O’Bryan was the coach of the team which had won seven of its 10 games.
– Mr J.J. Desmond settled on land at Nanneella in 1910 and celebrated his birthday on June 30, 1978.
Born in Mansfield, he established the Macroom Jersey Stud at Fairy Dell, between Rochester and Nanneella, pioneering the growing and processing of dried fruit.
Mr Desmond had an event at Hotel Rochester to celebrate the occasion, attended by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
– Bill Jackson received a life membership to the Rochester RSL sub-branch, described by president Stewart Walkley as “a hell of a good bloke”.
Mr Jackson served in World War II as a navigator in the air force and was inducted alongside three other life members, Cyril Robins, Les Anderson and Syd Johnston.
– Bob Hodgens was announced as a the new leader of the Rochester Lions Club, taking over the presidency from Graeme Gledhill and having former district governor Ray Powles as his secretary and Merve Bunker as treasurer.
– The death of Williams John Haisman of Rochester removed a link with the early days of the newspaper industry in the town.
Bill Haisman had a life-long association with the newspaper industry, firstly as a typesetter and later as managing editor of the Rochester Irrigator Pty Ltd, publishers of the Campaspe News.
He retired in May, 1973 and was deeply involved in the community, named as Citizen of the Year in Rochester in 1971.
He was described as a small man with a big heart and was a former secretary of the Rochester RSL sub-branch.
1988
Wayne Williams played his 150th game for Rochester and dominated the match with a best-on-ground display as Peter Fuller and Robbie Miller kicked 12 goals between them in the Tigers’ 95-point win.
Williams played in the ruck and had 15 marks by half-time against Tongala, amazing considering the heavy conditions.
Fullback David Eefting, key defender Warren Martin, Brendan Flanagan and Darryl O’Neill were among the Tigers’ best players, along with roving dynamos Mick Keenan and Michael Gravina.
Rochester was sitting third on the ladder after 12 rounds, with nine wins and three defeats.
– Rochester High School was set to receive $2 million from the state government for a building project.
Bob Watts, Rochester High School Council president, led the delegation to Education Minister Caroline Hogg and walked away with a promise that the work would be done.
Student enrolments had topped 500 for the year, despite the prediction of the education department they would fall to 460.
Plans to complete the second stage building program had been in limbo for four years, the project including the building of three classrooms, a multi-purpose room, library and canteen.
– Daryl Houlden and Brian Leahy brought the world racquetball endurance record back to Rochester — and Australia.
The two men played non-stop for 68 hours and seven minutes, beating the record set by two Pakistanis earlier in the year.
The attempt was opened by Rochester Shire councillor Phill Collins after speeches from Ron Williams, Joy Blackman, Stewart McDonald and Australian racquetball champion Paul Vear.
Trainer Ted Hall, along with David “Rocka” Hanson, were among the support crew on the sidelines.
– St Joseph’s College senior school in Rochester had a cloud over its future after a public meting considered recommending the closure of the school at the end of the year.
More than 100 people attended the meeting and sat in silence as they were informed of the financial situation of the school.
1998
Heather Watson was installed as president of Rochester Rotary for a second term, with the Mud Races at Rochester Sports Complex among the most successful events.
Other projects included Meals on Wheels, the Bowel Scan program, Echuca Rotary’s Stam Rally and a visit from UK Rotarians.
– Rochester Golf Club’s Marg McCarty won the club championship on the same weekend that a record score of 53 points was achieved by Geoff Riding and Rob McConnell in the Stubberfield-Darbyshire Four-Ball event.
– New Chamber of Commerce President Peter Anderson declared the past 12 months the “most productive year the chamber has ever had” as he accepted the reins at a handover dinner, which was attended by Federal Member for Murray Sharman Stone.
2008
Anthony “Tank” McPhee played his 400th senior game, the first player in the 114-year history of the Goulburn Valley League to have achieved the feat.
Rochester won the match by 129 points and McPhee kicked 10 goals, celebrating his 21 year career, 35 finals and two premierships (along with seven runners-up seasons) by adding to his tally of 850 goals.
McPhee, 36, had been nominated for the $5000 Telstra Country Football Legend award and shared the moment with wife Kerri and children, eight-year-old Harrison and six-year-old Adam.
– Michael Krieg was named as the new chief executive officer of Rochester and Elmore District Health Service, replacing Duane Attree, who resigned in February.
Contributor