Recently added

1938 Yallourn Blues Junior Soccer Team Back Row: Bruce Spenser (reserve); Doug Wilson; Tom Melbourne; Ron Welfare Middle Row: Bob Crookston; Roy Whelan; Ray Stanger; Ray Tate Front Row: Tom Mills; --- Drane; Don McAllister; Syd Tate; Brian Downey Coach: Tom Oddy Photo taken at Yallourn Oval 1938 Syd 'Spudda' Tate (1925 – 2015) later played VFL football for Geelong Football Club between (1947 – 1951) and was a member of their 1951 Premiership Team.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our readers, followers and sponsors. As the recent Commendation from the Royal Historical Society underlines, Yallourn was a unique town and THANK YOU for your contribution and support of the Virtual Yallourn website during 2016. BEST WISHES FOR 2017

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF THIS WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE FAMILIES OF YALLOURN IS NOT KNOWN. YEAR: UNKNOWN REPRINTED FROM ‘YALLOURN WAS ‘ BY PRUE MCGOLDRICK (1984) PAGE : 69.

Yallourn North Primary School students - going on to Yallourn High School in Form 1

Pat Brennan, Malcolm Roberts, Peter Roberts - 12 Parkway - approx 1949

DRAMATIC ARTS IN YALLOURN

Saul Rubinek once wrote… “In the theatre, as anyone knows who's even done amateur theatre all their lives, you immediately find a family.”

It is true that the collective action of people involved in dramatic arts has the potential to forge lasting friendships, create harmony and lift the spirits of communities; and, in that regard, the Yallourn amateur theatre groups were no exception.

Caption: POSTMISTRESS AT HERNE’S OAK, Mrs. Agatha O’Reilly, lost her home but saved post office documents and money, and opened P.O. in a garage. SOURCE: NLA 47488703 ‘THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY’ - Saturday, 4th March 1944 Pages: 12 & 13

1934 - THE YALLOURN WANDERERS SUFFER A DEFEAT The following news article, from the ‘Morwell Advertiser’ in 1934, is a good illustration of how rapidly sporting clubs were established in Yallourn after ‘the turning of the first sod’ in 1921. Within a short space of time, various teams were formed, facilities established, equipment purchased, committees organized and players recruited. As history shows, the Yallourn Soccer Club grew from humble beginnings to become one of the town’s most successful sporting teams in local, regional and state-wide competitions.

Letter received with photo 2016: Dear Julie. I am a librarian at Newman College, Parkville and we came across the attached photo in our archives. I wondered whether you may be able to help with identifying some of the children. (The fact that is was found in our College archives suggests that one of the students may have attended Newman College later on.) Kind regards, Rhonda Librarian - University of Melbourne

There may have been others but I do know that Annaliese Kohler attended Newman in 1937 or 1938...RS

This is a big THANK YOU to all the readers and contributors to Virtual Yallourn. For the second year in a row, we have received the Commendation Award in the Multimedia section of the Victorian Community History Awards by RHSV and PROV (State Government).

Here is a photo of Julie out the front of the Art Gallery on 17 October 2016, proudly showing off the Commendation Award. The judges particularly commented on the 3D Town Map.

‘Hospital Collection on payday.’

Source: Year Unknown - Yallourn Medical and Hospital Society Photograph.

PETER HUTCHINSON Readers of the Virtual Yallourn website will be deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Yallourn resident and identity Peter Hutchinson. Peter passed away on 17th September 2016. In an article regarding John Hutchinson and his family on this website in April 2013…the following comments were recorded regarding Peter …

A MIGHTY WIN FOR YALLOURN

In 1932, Yallourn was a special prize winner in the ‘Sun’ newspaper’s ‘Ideal Town’ competition. The results of the quest gained wide coverage in various country newspapers; and there was a great deal of prestige associated with the towns that featured in the awards.

For many country towns of Victoria, the competition was seen as important; and despite the hardship caused by the economic downturn of those times, the various campaigns conducted by rural communities, were successful in creating collective action and civic pride.

Caption: Footscray Football Team left Melbourne for Yallourn where it will meet St Kilda today. In this parlour coach are: (front, from left): D. Reynolds, E. Whitten, A. Abbey, B. Smallwood (Back Row); A. Linton, A. Edwards, F. Aked

SOURCE: 205401904 ‘THE AGE’ SATURDAY 14th JUNE 1952 PAGE : 8