Stories

By Reg Penkethman – YHS Sept 1950 - 1954

Picture the scene: a grey rainy 1950 mid-September day at Port Melbourne. Included among the somewhat bewildered passengers disembarking from the migrant ship “New Australia” were my dear mum and dad, sister Norma and yours truly, a highly curious ten (but nearly eleven) year old.
My earliest memory of life in Australia, apart from the dreary day, was going through the arrival formalities, cavernous shed, tables, probably bored officials. My dad, a smoker in those days (it was 1950 after all) was, consistent with the understood… more

60 YEARS AGO~
1953: JOHN HUTCHINSON PLAYS HIS FIRST SENIOR GAME FOR YFC.

No history of Yallourn Football Club (1945-65) would be complete without a chapter devoted to John Hutchinson. He was a ‘local hero’ and civic leader in many of the activities and affairs of the township. He built a healthy reputation on the sporting fields of Yallourn, particularly in football and cricket.

John was an outstanding footballer and a dedicated coach who was untiring in his efforts to maintain and strengthen the Yallourn Football Club.
This is the story of John and his… more

LET’S REMEMBER JOHN ‘JUMBO’ JAMES

By John White, President, Central Gippsland Cricket Association

The following tribute to John ‘Jumbo’ James has been kindly forwarded to Virtual Yallourn for posting on the website by John White, President of the Central Gippsland Cricket Association. John spoke at Jumbo’s funeral on 15 October 2012 and his eulogy carried much of what is written below. John has agreed to minor changes to his wonderful tribute to Jumbo to allow posting as a document of historical significance.

Details of John White’s lengthy and dedicated involvement… more

RON ‘KNUCKLES’ LEE

Ron Lee was born at Merbein (16 km from Mildura) in 1934. Ron’s school days began at Merbein Primary School and he advanced to the Higher Elementary School. In 1949, Ron attended Bendigo Technical School and, while his studies were important, it was in Bendigo that his football was ‘cultivated’ and flourished.

School football led to playing at Sandhurst Football Club. Sandhurst FC (established in 1861) is one of the most enduring sporting organizations in Australia. {Note: Thousands of Irish immigrants flocked to Ballarat and Bendigo to seek ‘their fortune… more

Alec writes....I have had a very fortunate life for a Tanjil South boy who rode a 28” Malvern Star bike 10 miles per day to Moe and back to catch the Yallourn bus when I was only 11…then to catch the Erica bus for two years before being picked up at the door by the Hill End bus.

George Bates and I shared the Senior Athletics Championship at Yallourn Tech in 1950. His wife, Sonja’s brother, Stan Ostlund, was well known to me at the time as were Ian Collins, Fred Marr, Colin Harvey, Bruce King, Irving Stevens, Jack Wilson, Brian Sullivan, Peter Spurrier, Trevor Whitmore, Teddy Beulke… more

I read with interest Roger Spaull’s article about Kevin Gordon and forward the following contribution to the Virtual Yallourn site...by Norm Hall Feb 2013

The Gordon’s were our neighbours in Tanjil Crescent, separated by a laneway which ran to our respective garages. In our teenage years, Kevin was a good mate, but tragically was one of many who were killed in car crashes at such a young age. Kevin was a member of our teenage club which was founded by Les Hutchison, Bob Docking, Robert Barton, Merv Cusworth and Norm Hall. This club had the backing of Paddy McIvor the local policeman… more

KEVIN GORDON FROM YALLOURN MEETS EDDIE LANE

This wonderful photograph was discovered while researching information regarding the 1955 LVFL Grand Final between Sale and Yallourn. The photograph is of Kevin Gordon who lived in Yallourn. Kevin is the son of Joe and Ellen Gordon and the brother of Glen, Adrian, Adrienne, Lindsay, Yvonne, Geoff, Josephine and Brian. Kevin, an avid South Melbourne supporter, had been introduced to one of his heroes (Eddie Lane) when he had travelled from Yallourn to watch the VFL clash between Carlton and South Melbourne.

At the time of the… more

21 Church Street Yallourn / Stringers Road, Toongabbie

This house has had two lives. Built in 1930, its first 47 years were spent at 21 Church Street in the city of Yallourn, housing families employed in brown coal mining and electricity generation. The town was planned, built and owned by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, whose aim was to secure a contented workforce by providing ideal living conditions. When Yallourn was no longer essential for the SEC, the town was demolished to make way for the coal deposits that lay under it. In 1977, the house began its second life… more

YALLOURN FOOTBALL CLUB 1945-65 - MURRAY FRENCH

Families play a central role in all country clubs and sporting groups. Yallourn was no exception. By reading the match reports and team lists, over the 55 years of the club’s existence, it is apparent that Yallourn was a ‘family concern.’

‘The French Connection’ was a perfect example of how families contributed to the life and organization of the football club. Murray French has never forgotten what the YFC meant to him and his family. “My father (Bill) and I lived at the football club. We idolized every one of the players. One… more

Centre Hall, on the opposite side of the foyer to Kernot Hall, was previously Yallourn's first Fire Station until 1948. A facelift later, it became Centre Hall. In its life, it also was used as an air-raid precautions control centre during the 1935-1945 War. The building later became used primarily as a meeting place. Also hired by the local Orchestral Society, for sittings of the local Court of Petty Sessions and occasionally for small wedding receptions.