1971
In conjunction with radio station 3SR, Rochester was planning its Hospital Sunday appeal to raise funds for the hospital’s new medical services wing.
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The hospital was expecting to have a $4000 windfall from the fundraising event to be spent on improvements, with committee of management president Mr J. Keech urging residents to assist with the appeal.
— Rochester was sitting fourth on the Bendigo league ladder with five wins for the season, but had just lost by 32 points to fifth-ranked Sandhurst.
Crouch, Smith, Trotter and Dowlan were Rochester’s best players.
— A Central Riding councillor’s attempt to persuade Rochester Shire to meet objectors to the new rubbish tip site failed.
Instead, councillors decided to adopt the engineer’s recommendation that council approve the establishment of a new tip on land to the west of the Rochester-Strathallan Rd and to the south of the Waranga Western Channel.
In doing so, they authorised the purchase of 20 acres of land, despite being presented with a petition from 200-plus people protesting the tip being established so close to the township.
A month would be allowed for written submissions to the proposal as the Public Health Commission had to approve the proposal before the tip could be established.
St Joseph’s parents’ associaiton was among the 257 objectors.
— The race judge, Mr R.J. Dickie, who caused a controversy by declaring Bold Minstrel the winner of the Progressive Handicapper at Rochester, was removed by the Northern District Racing Association.
He declared the horse the winner despite almost everyone else on track certain True Picture had won.
1981
Rochester Shire Ratepayers Association was under question by council as to whether or not it was truly representing the community.
The association had asked council for a rate of 10 cents for every ratepayer to assist with the running of the group.
Council suggested that the ratepayers association did not represent the entire community and that “councillors are doing a good job’’.
At its meeting, council decided to formally recognise the group, but only offered $50 toward the cost of setting up the group.
— Campaspe Valley Community Centre was packed for the St John’s Debutante Ball, which had a record number of 25 debutantes.
Rochester photographer Duncan Stewart was kept busy photographing the debs and their partners, spending three-and-a-half hours doing the photo shoot.
Prue Foster and Matthew Kneebone were the page boy and girl, while Margery Sharp was the host.
Jenny Gledhill was partnered by Chris Baumann, Darlene Wachter had Phillip Weeks as her partner, Theresa Wright held the arm of Gary Shaw, Roslyn Coulston was partnered by Brett Ayres and Michelle Roberts had Rohan Houlden as her partner.
Lynda Harrison had Graeme Lawrence, Lousie McAsey was with Darren Howard, Rhonda Ferguson attended with David Ward, Wendy Christie partnered Brian Adams, Thelma Henderson attended the ball with Neil Gardner, Judy Zegelin was partnered by Tim Marsh, Tracy Gilchrist’s partner was Phillip Latter, Carolyn Atley attended with her brother Brendan, Debra Christienon was accompanied by her brother Paul and Pauline Oulton had Gary Wachter as her partner.
— Peter Fuller was the only Rochester player in the GVL team that lost to the Ovens and Murray by 20 points in the country championships.
Fuller kicked eight goals the following week in the Tigers’ 48-point win against Echuca, with Tony Windridge kicking four goals and Denis Brown best-on-ground. Geoff Ringin was also a top performer.
— Country music singer Johnny Chester performed for a 400-strong Rochester audience, alongside Donna Fisk and Hotspur.
It was the second promotion of the Rochester Lions Club, with Kamahl having played to a packed house some months before. People were very kind.
— Rochester chemist John Prigg was elected president of the Rochester Lions Club, having previously been secretary and vice-president.
1991
Wold boxing champ Jeff Fenech was at Bernie Stevenson’s Criterion Hotel in Rochester after just returning from his much talked about fight with Azumah Nelson for the super featherweight title.
He was getting away from the world media in Elmore, where he was visiting family friends who had a son named after Fenech’s own boy Beau and was Fenech’s godson.
Fenech’s Elmore connection was with Doug Kefford, who brought him down to Melbourne to see a kickboxing fight and accompanied him to Las Vegas. While in Rochester, Fenech also rubbed shoulders with some of the town’s top sportspeople.
— John O’Bree became the new president of Rochester Rotary Club, taking over the role from Kevin Moylan.
2001
Selecting a Telstra plan was being made easier by Tim Cottam and Michelle Stone at Anderson’s Electrical, having just received the latest training on mobile phone products.
Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola, LG, Hyndai, Kyocera and Phillips were the phones of choice at the time.
— Residents were preparing to pay 4.9 per cent more for their water after Coliban Water announced water and wastewater price increases.
It was the first increase in three-and-a-half years after the company claimed to have reduced prices by 21 per cent in 1998. The price hike was the equivalent of an extra six cents a day or an extra $5 on quarterly bills.
— Melissa Restea and Kara Bransgrove were stars for Rochester’s under-15 squad in a knockout tournament.
The team also included Paige Johnson, Jenna Oliver, Kate Hassell, Sarah Moon, Caitlin Watson, Emma Wickham and Casey Prigg and was coached by Steve Wickham.
They lost 8-12 to a Shepparton side in the final of the tournament.
— Rochester’s three hotels were aiming to earn a slice of the Federal Government’s funding for historical pub improvements.
Grants of $10,000, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, were being offered through the Historical Hotels Program, with the Criterion, Shamrock and Rochester all aiming to dig into the pile of cash.
Campaspe News