Stories

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

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

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

YALLOURN FOOTBALL CLUB 1945-65

YALLOURN V MOE 1956.

You don’t always have to be a brown coal miner to dredge up a bit of history. Sometimes buried treasure can be discovered in an old newspaper.
In this case, ‘The Argus’ (July 2nd 1956) was a ‘real find’.

‘The Argus’, a popular metropolitan daily of those times, devoted more than two columns (on page: 7) to the LVFL fixture Moe versus Yallourn. The report was filed by a city based scribe named Ron Testro. It appears that Ron had travelled to Moe to witness the clash between the neighbouring clubs. Ron’s review… more

Filmed by Bill and Dot Burns, Soundtrack added by Mike Hamilton.

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

Since 1924 in the YDCA and CGCA there have been 18 Yallourn cricket teams they are:-
1. Yallourn
2. Yallourn ANA
3. Yallourn Golds
4. Yallourn Blacks
5. Yallourn Colts
6. Yallourn St Therese’s
7. Yallourn Presbyterians
8. Yallourn Municipal
9. Yallourn Reds
10. Yallourn Fire Brigade
11. Yallourn Tech School
12. Yallourn St. Johns
13. Yallourn St Andrews
14. Yallourn RSL
15. Yallourn Sparks
16. Yallourn Footballers
17. Yallourn Methodists
18. Yallourn A

Yallourn Cricket Club… more

In conjunction with the power station, the open cut mine also fed a briquette factory operated by the SECV. The first stage of the factory came into operation in November 1924 with a capacity of about 400 tons per day, with a major extension approved in 1927 and completed early in 1931 increasing the capacity to 1200 tons per day. Using German technology, the factory also generated electricity, with a maximum output of approximately 10 MW it produced 220 MWhr daily, of which about 50 MWhr was used in the factory and 170 MWhr was fed into the state grid. The plant closed in 1970, after the… more

Can anyone help with any history of the Yallourn Baseball Club? They "lived" on No 5 Oval on Eastern Road. Any photos would be good. I have just created the Group because, until Mark D'Alterio told me last week, I didn't know Yallourn had a baseball club.

History of the Latrobe Community Concert Band (information and photos kindly given by Latrobe Community Concert Band - www.Iccband.com)

Introduction
The Yallourn and District Band, over almost sixty years has played a significant part in the life of the Latrobe Valley, and particularly of Yallourn and its immediate environs.

It would be no exaggeration to say that Yallourn Band has done more than its share in the field of entertainment and culture in and around Yallourn. It must surely be the oldest organisation in the area, for… more