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Dorothy Deppeler (Bishop) YHS 1955 - Dot & Ian both attended the "Back To" at Woorabinda last March and met people they hadn't seen for over 40 years. Dot wrote, "it's amazing how little some people have changed!! Beth Dooley (nee Crook) was just as I remembered her. She had quite a "historic" photo of her, me and Peggy Raggatt in our teens! Were we really so slim?

David Cooke – YHS 1952 Although I wasn't born in Yallourn, I spent 10 years of my early youth there - attending both Yallourn Primary School and Yallourn High School. I now live in the Hawaii - having been in the US for 26 years now (as a university professor.)

I'm still very sentimental about my time in Yallourn. I lived with my parents and brother Robin (he was killed in New Guinea in 1979) in the house at 3 Maiden Street.

Alison Kennedy (Kelly) YHS 1936 "Firstly - who am I? Alison Kelly - I'm sure I started in YHS 1936 sub-intermediate, when I would have turned 12 in April - I have been searching unsuccessfully to find my school report book to confirm this - however, due to a "strained heart", I missed several months and consequently seem to recall girls in various year groups. I worked in my brothers' businesses (they became garage proprietors - Kelly Bros Motors) for 11 years before marrying in August 1950. My husband, Kevin, is the most splendid husband, dad and friend.

Who WAS responsible for the great stinkout of the new high school wing in 1967:

Paul Vincent YHS 1962 Yallourn Fountain - “enclosed a photograph to jog a few memories - no prizes for it, but I was driving to Glenmaggie Weir last week and, lo and behold, a Yallourn fountain was spotted, sitting in a private garden in Heyfield! Yes, it even works and has the original copper lights still mounted inside (although the centre pole is now painted white). Was unable to speak to the property owner, as they were out, but will be returning to find out how the hell it was transported there!” Paul lives in Sale with wife, Freda, and they enjoy a relaxing life together.

Marj Brogan was born in Box Hill, moved to Yallourn when she was 2 and moved to Newborough when they dug up Yallourn in 1976. She met her husband in Yallourn and was married in 1946 (57 years). She has two children - Kevin 55 and Suzanne 51. Marj worked in the library at the SEC before starting work at the mill in 1942, where she would ride her pushbike to work. She has been a member of the Yallourn Golf Club since 1956 and has played golf almost every day from when her kids started high school.

Malcolm Gibson YHS 1962 - “the photograph certainly brings back memories. I would like a look at the fountain. I don't recall specific dates, circumstances etc but I recall two occasions when detergent was used in the fountain, one of these occasions also involved a quantity of potassium permanganate (Condies crystals) which turned the frothy water purple. As to who the perpetrators were is anyone's guess, but I would say that the list of suspects would be fairly large and would probably not hold any surprises to those of us from that era. Good harmless fun eh?

Lachlan McPherson YHS 1962 - Loved the photo of ONE of the Centre square fountains (where's the other?)….and I certainly did not have anything to do with foaming up the fountains, more's the pity! What a prank! Condies crystals is VERY impressive. Did you know that the fountains were constructed for the Queen's Visit of 1954? I shall be there for roll call in 2004...cheers.

Helene Warner (Wall) YHS 1962 wrote of the Yallourn Fountain - I vaguely remember all the adults being outraged at the detergent in the fountains saying how it would wreck the pumps and stuff, but my siblings and I thought it was hysterical. I've no idea who was responsible but they were so clever. Some-one also used to put bubbles in the fountain in Morwell, the one on the side of the building of the Water Board offices, and as some-one said pretty harmless. The fountain still looks pretty good in the photo. I had my wedding photos taken in those gardens in Yallourn.

Anonymous - this article was shoved under my door by person(s) unknown! and relates to a famous episode that occurred towards the end of 1967 in the new classroom wing at YHS. I note with disappointment that another famous episode that of Don Chalmers 'woody' MiniMinor, somehow finding its way into the corridor and surrounding itself with lockers, did not get a mention. Perhaps the incidents are not connected. Preface: We Liked High School So Much, We Went Twice!

Margaret Huther (Jenkins) YHS 1953 Sent some photos and wrote: I have been receiving the YOGA newsletter for many years and enjoy reading about people I went to school with. I have been to many reunions but don't always meet many mates of my era. I attended the reunion at Moe 5 years ago. My sister, Kath Peruzzi (Jenkins) and I lived in Morwell and travelled on the bus to YHS along with many others. I really enjoyed my 5 years at YHS playing sport, flirting with the boys, and having mostly great teachers. Kath still lives in Morwell.

Ted Ebsworth YTS 1942 read The death notice of Charles Howard Beanland in July 2001 and it brought back a lot of memories, as Charles was the Principal of Yallourn Tech School and his son, Graham, was in Ted's class. In 1939, Ted and family moved from the settlement called the South Camp to Newborough (Moe East). Riding our bikes to school was more fun than hard yakka. There were always chases through the bush tracks and animals to chase, especially the wild sheep, One hot summer morning, someone suggested we go for a skinny dip down the Latrobe River, which we often did.

Martin DeVries YHS 1969wrote: 'l can still recall many of my childhood exploits with your brother, Martin Francis and my brother Ernie, racing billy carts, climbing the big tree in your front yard, going up the bush catching lizards - we used to take your dog - going to the pool, etc, etc. indeed, I still harbour many fond memories of growing up in Yallourn - it was a great place. Unfortunately, our family left in 1970 and moved to Perth (nicer climate but nowhere near as much fun). Since then, I regrettably lost all contact with everyone I knew in Yallourn.

Marjorie Dickson (Ebsworth) YHS 1934 sent some photos of the stylish old Yallourn Buses in our last newsletter - now Marjorie has let us in to 'life as a bus driver' in those days in Yallourn. Marjorie's husband, Peter, drove the Yallourn buses in late 1930s to early 1940s. The owner was Andy Maxfield and he had several buses at that time.

Margaret Hinde (Mclnnes) YHS 1953 wrote - "l came across the enclosed photo, which was sent to me by Pam Hewitt (Tulloch) ages ago. I think it is our Grade 4 year at Yallourn Primary, but I am not certain. That would make it 1950. I met up with Pam again several (?) years ago at a "Back to Yallourn" gathering at the Moe racecourse. It was a real "blast from the past" as I had often wondered about her because I had warm memories of her from the primary years. I didn't have lots of friends, but I did remember Pam as being special.

YALLOURN: THE BROWN HOLE By Barbara Elliott (Park) YHS 1950 It started off a small country industrial town with people from countries all over the world, making a new home and life in its promises for them. My parents (Harold & Kítty Park) had come from England and Scotland to settle in Australia during the time of the great depression. Times had been tough for them, the sort of toughness that today we would think of as Just a story". Food was a luxury, and work almost a dream. My parents met and married in Adelaide, where the only big industry was the car industry.

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Click on the title above and then click the link below the picture to view the full magazine (pdf format)

Click on the title above and then click the link below the picture to view the full magazine (pdf format)