Beanland Families in Yallourn 1932 to 1965
Over the years, there have been two periods of time when the family of Howard Beanland lived in Yallourn. Howard first came to Yallourn in 1932, as Acting Principal of the Technical School when it occupied a row of timber cottages in Narracan Avenue. New buildings, opened in 1936 on the corner of Railway and Latrobe Avenues, were a big milestone of which Howard was very proud. He left Yallourn in 1943 when appointed as Principal of the new Technical School at Box Hill. His eldest son, Graham, returned to Yallourn in 1960 when appointed Electrical Operations Superintendent, living there with his family until 1965.
Howard had a distinguished career in Technical Education; his first teaching position was at Beechworth in 1923 and his first Principal appointment was at Stawell in 1930. Moving to Yallourn with his wife, Flo, and very young son, Graham, the family first lived in an SEC house in East Cross, then at 29 Latrobe Avenue and later, as the family grew, at 26 Hillside. Two boys, John and David, were born to Flo & Howard at the Yallourn Hospital. Graham and John attended Yallourn Primary School and Graham spent six months at Yallourn Tech. Looking back, he regards Grades 5 and 6 (held at the High School) with Mr Edmondson, a really great teacher, as one of life’s special experiences.
These were pioneering years in Yallourn when the whole community was involved in establishing new facilities and services. They were also war years, strict blackout, rationing and gas producers. Saturday afternoon matinee at the new Yallourn Theatre was a popular activity. New sports fields and swimming pool were built at this time. Howard, Flo and family were all actively involved in the Methodist Church and Howard worked very hard for the Yallourn Civic Association, serving as its President for several years.
Family friends of the era included some other pioneer families including Alston, Armstrong, Beulke, McMahon, Rainbow and Terrill, many of whom remained in close contact well after leaving Yallourn. Well remembered was the flooding of the Open Cut in 1934 and bushfires in Noojee and the nearby ranges in 1939. Howard retired from Footscray Technical College in 1967, having given a lifetime of service to “Tech. Ed.”.
After graduating from the University of Melbourne in 1952, Graham Beanland was offered an Engineering Cadetship with the State Electricity Commission, at the conclusion of which he was employed in the Electrical Operations Branch of Production Department. In 1958, he was one of the first group of young engineers to be awarded an overseas scholarship by the SEC and for two years he worked in England and made a study of Hydro systems in UK and Europe. Kathleen and Graham lived in London and Rugby during this time and their first child was born in England. Graham gained promotion from Assistant Area Engineer in Melbourne to the Yallourn position in 1960, where responsibilities in the complex Latrobe Valley organization included the electrical systems of Switchyards, Power Stations, Open Cut and Briquetting (these latter areas all at different times). Graham, Kathleen and children, Paul and Warwick, moved into 25 Hillside, across the street from the family home of 1943, and won a prize a year later for the most improved garden in the town. Two children were born in Yallourn, Janet in the Hospital and Martin unexpectedly at home! The children all attended Primary School and / or Kindergarten in Yallourn and Paul enjoyed Cubs. The family were involved in the Methodist Church – Kathleen as organist and Graham as Circuit Steward. Other community involvements included the Camera Club and Jaycees, where Graham was President in the Club’s second year. Through Jaycees, Graham visited Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong, attended various conferences and training activities and helped to form the Leongatha. Jaycees. Graham was appointed Managing Director of Doulton Insulators in 1965 and so the family moved from Yallourn back to Melbourne after five very happy and productive years.