Looking Back

An Ice Dancer at Springvale Snow Fest in 2019. (Rob Carew: 195902)

100 years ago

25 September 1924

RANDOM NOTES

Now that an angling club has been formed in Dandenong, it is expected that stories of big hauls will soon be told in hotels, billiard rooms and barber shops and other places where “men do congregate” and tell “marvellous tales” tales about records of various kinds. They’re hopeful chaps, these fishermen – almost as hopeful as gold mining prospectors – and monuments of patience. I trust the characteristic – patience – will be exercised to the full by “knights of the rod” in regard to giving the young trout to be liberated in the Dandenong Creek a chance to grow to a respectable size before “poaching” is resorted to.

50 years ago

24 September 1974

FINAL ‘BID’ ON METERS

Another move has been made in Dandenong Council over the possible installation of parking meters in the city. Councillor Holohan said that council should make up its mind “once and for all” on parking meters and moved for a report on the Clow, Walker, McCrae Street triangle as an area for parking meters. “Meters in this area would not have an adverse effect on any trader in this area as there is now, and will be when Myer’s opens, ample off-street parking in the area. It will be an opportunity for council to get some much-needed funds directly from parking and I don’t think we would be driving anybody away from the central business district.”

20 years ago

27 September 2004

Pokie losses fall.

Poker machine losses in Greater Dandenong and Casey have fallen for the second consecutive year, but remain among the highest in the state. Figures released by the Victoria Commission for Gambling Regulation show that gamblers in 28 gaming venues across the two cities lost more than $195 million in 2003-04 compared to $196.5 million the previous year. The reduction coincides with the introduction of smoking bans in gaming venues in 2002. Greater Dandenong Mayor Clare O’Neil welcomed the downturn. However, she said that the city’s losses were still too high. “Gambling inflicts a huge toll on local families and contributes to family stress and breakdown, work-related problems and poverty.”

5 years ago

24 September 2019

Cool taste of success

Springvale Snow Fest 2018 has taken out a national prize as Australia’s best community event. The event in its seventh year, recently took out the category at the Australian Events Awards in Perth.

Each year it brings the snow and winter activities to thousands of festival goers in central Springvale Streets. Greater Dandenong Mayor, Roz Blades, said the win was a “a major coup”. “Winning this award further cements Greater Dandenong’s reputation as a City of Celebration.” Springvale Snow Fest has won a number of awards and continues to draw crowds in excess of 40,000 people each year. “The fact that we are able to bring real snow from Mt Buller to Springvale each year gives our community the chance to experience all the fun of the snow right in the heart of their own backyard.”

Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society