Recently added

Did you know – the large oak tree in front of the Guide Hall in Yallourn was grown from a seed from oaks in the Royal Mews in England? Jock Lawson was given the seed when a Royal Princess was in Australia. (Only six seeds came out to Australia and Jock was given two of these.) From that tree, Jock grew two more trees which were growing at Barbara & Don Flanagan’s house at Hazelwood North.

The Drummond family came to Yallourn at the end of 1923 and the five girls started the 1924 school year in a little weatherboard cottage shell at No 4 Hillside, boosting the numbers considerably. The cottage served as a school during the day, a meeting room at night and the three churches took it in turn to hold Services there on Sundays.

Formed in 1976 by some girls from Yallourn High School, this association grew to 126 in its first year and 37+ years later, has been steady around the 700 members mark. The Association currently holds a reunion each March - alternating between a lunch at Morwell RSL and a bigger weekend at Woorabinda School Camp on Lake Narracan. They also send out newsletters twice per year with memories and information about future and past reunions, memorabilia for sale etc. For more information, contact Julie George via email julie@yallourn.org or visit the website www.yallourn.org.

Dr James Moore Andrew practised in the Yallourn area from 1925 until he died on November 2, 1972.

Doctor Andrew was born in 1899 in Kyneton and came to the area on New Years Eve in 1925, just days after his marriage. He was only 2 years out of medical School. He spent 45 years attending the people of Yallourn and Brown Coal Mine, bringing many of them into the world. He was on call 24 hours every day. One time driving his T-Model Ford to Brown Coal Mine on a very poor road, he swerved to avoid a drunken cyclist and crashed into the bush. He

60 YEARS AGO ~ 1953 SIMON SHAW

1953 was a season of great sorrow in the history of Yallourn Football Club. The tragic death of Simon Shaw was long-felt by the club and the people of the town and district.

Simon (born at Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland on 2nd September 1923) died in the Yallourn Hospital on the 1st February 1953. He died as the result of an injury sustained while swimming in the Latrobe River on Monday 26th January. ‘The Morwell Advertiser’ carried the full story and it told of Simon’s brave fight for survival in hospital for six days following the accident.

Sydney and Frances Williams had six children Keith, Lorna, Allan, Doug, Betty and Morris. In the early years, Sydney worked a small farm in the Hill End-Willow Grove area. “Syd provided a supporting role to the running of the family store and hotel, using horse and carriage passenger and mail services (Cobb & Co. style) to all parts of the surrounding areas linking to Moe. In the 1920’s, the horses were replaced with motor vehicles.” …Morris Williams.

Sometime in 1930’s the family moved into Yallourn and the story of two of Yallourn’s best-ever footballers starts here.

A Special Edition Postage Stamp depicting Doug Williams. The Eighth Annual Issue 2007 in Australia Post's Series of "The Premiership Players Club Inc"

Doug Williams pictured at Carlton FC

Mossie Williams at the Victorian Country Week Carnival - other well known Yallourn sporting identities included in the photograph are - Ben Pavlich, Dick Sagar, Joe Carroll, Bert Badley, Harold Graham, Don Benson, Jack Collier and Phil Ashmead

The Williams' Family Cricket Team in 1945. This photograph was taken at Willow Grove when the Williams' family played 'The Rest'.

Back Row: Colin, Cyril, Keith, Eric, Doug, Lad, Mossie, Jack Front Row: Alan, Bert, Syd, Reube

Doug and Margaret Williams pictured in Launceston in December 1951. The photo was carried in a newspaper article in relation to Doug accepting the coaching position at North Launceston FC for the 1952 football season.

This postcard is rare: Yallourn Fire Brigade Queen Carnival??? Greetings from the Township Queen??? A Fire Brigade Hall next to the SSB! Yallourn General Store under construction,all in the 1920's no doubt. Can anyone throw any light on this?