General News
1 February, 2026
St Arnaud 100 years ago: rain falls, band Sundays and more
Click the story below to find out what was happening in St Arnaud 100 years ago.
100 Years Ago
January 1926
The total rain for January was only 13 points. Due to the very hot weather the water level in all three reservoirs is dropping rapidly and residents are asked to be sparing in their use of water.
Deaths
Jack Cleary, son of S E and A F Cleary of Raglan st, died age 13 months.
Miss Amy Harman, the eldest daughter of Alfred and the late Mrs Helen Harman of Carapooee died age 21 years.
Mrs Mary Ann Shepherd died age 74 leaving six children; she is a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs F Seales of Gre Gre North.
Former St Arnaud bricklayer Thomas Johnston died age 53 at North Fitzroy.
Former well-known St Arnaud resident, Mr Frederick Geo Broderick died age 68 at Camberwell. He came to St Arnaud age 22 and was the manager of McBride’s store for many years, leaving St Arnaud in 1921. He married Elizabeth Borthwick the daughter of Archibald Broderick and Mrs C F Lewis [both dec] and they had six children.
Sales
W Taynton sold 20 acres on Charlton Road, I mile from St Arnaud to J C Smith. Robert Westcott sold 4-room W B house on Silvermines Road with a ¼ acre facing Butcher st to J K S Bruce for £172. E G Bath sold a 4-room house on ¼ acre in Queens Avenue to James Crone Jnr for £805. Mrs Wilkinson sold 4-room house in Millett St. Mr C S Sharp held a furniture sale in North Western Road as he is leaving town. F P Clover held a clearing sale and sold his 5-room house in Millett st as he is retiring due to ill health and leaving town.
Band Sundays
On 19th January the first of the weekly entertainments in aid of the hospital, where the St Arnaud Band travels to country areas was held at Stuart Mill where they raised £45 and went on to Carapooee and collected £15/10/-, The following Sunday they went to Navarre and collected £37/3/1, next week they will play at Logan.
Seeds from Gallipoli
From a few grains of oats sent home in a letter from Lemnos Island near Gallipoli during the war by Major Ebeling a crop of 90 bushells was harvested at Gre Gre North last season. When Major Ebeling returned to Australia he started cultivating the seeds. He had only two plants the first season and by carefully grading and selecting, the seed multiplied year by year. Last year Geo Oxley Jnr sowed ½ bushel of it, from this crop the 90-bushel crop was obtained.
Music Lessons
Music teacher, Miss Geraldine Cahill has moved from Minyup to St Arnaud to reside with her sister Mrs R McDonald at ‘Trelora’ in Alma st. Miss Cahill will teach singing, voice production, deep breathing, pianoforte and theory. Some of the other music teachers are Miss Olive Reade, Miss Ivie Rodda, Miss Ursula Bray and the Sisters of Mercy.
Presbyterian Church
The tender of contractor Mr W Cumming of Cope Cope has been accepted for repairs to the interior and painting of the exterior of the Presbyterian Church building St Arnaud.
Farewells
Mr Jack Northby was farewelled at the Gre Gre Village Memorial Hall, which he helped erect and was given a smokers out fit by his friends before moving to Wyalong NSW. Coonooer Bridge residents presented Mr and Mrs John Rotherham with a case of cutlery and their daughters gold bangles. Prominent footballers Will and Frank Rotherham were given a shaving kit and leather suitcase. They are moving to Finley, NSW. Kooreh residents farewelled Mr and Mrs C Cassin and gave them with a silver tea and coffee service.
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