General News
6 December, 2025
What did St Arnaud look like 100 years ago?
A walk back down memory lane: North Central District Fire Brigade Association held their annual demonstration at St Arnaud, Charles Williams escaped injury and more.
100 Years Ago
November 1925
The North Central District Fire Brigade Association held their annual demonstration at St Arnaud in Napier Street, opposite the Queen’s Gardens. Eleven Brigades attended, Mildura, Donald, Merbein, Bowenvale, Charlton, Maryborough, Inglewood, Birchip, Beulah, Red Cliffs, and St Arnaud. There were 150 firemen and 1,000 spectators watching the eight events. During the adjournment for lunch the heads of competing brigades, and Cr Sinclair of Beaufort [supervisor] were given a civic reception at the Town Hall.
St Arnaud won three – events
Four man hose and reel race [L Crone, H Smith, W Kennedy C Robertson] prize a set of spoons in a case for each man and a silver rose bowl for the Brigade.
Two man reel race [L Crone & H Smith] prize set of silver salad servers each.
Ladder race: first W Kennedy, prize a silver and oaken fern bowl and third Clarrie Wilton, prize a silver ashtray, cigar cutter & matchbox holder.
In the evening, a large crowd watched a torchlight procession led by the Mildura Junior Brass Band and the St Arnaud Brass Band from the weighbridge down the main street to the Queen’s Gardens and back to the front of the Town Hall.
The crowd enjoyed a musical programme followed by a pyrotechnical display from the tower of the Town Hall.
At a meeting of delegates held that night at the Fire Station it was decided the next Demo would be held at St Arnaud.
Officers elected for the ensuing year – President Cpt W J Pickthall of St Arnaud, Vice-Presidents Cpt Rodda of Beulah & Cpt Boag of Inglewood and Secretary A E Walsh of St Arnaud.
Rain for November 103 points making a total so far this year of 1,624 points
As he has sold his property, Mr A Dellavedova held a clearing sale at his farm on the main St Arnaud – Logan Road, three miles from St Arnaud.
Charles Williams, butcher employed by Syd Chandler escaped injury when getting into the delivery cart in front of the shop.
The back band of the harness gave way letting the shafts fall to the ground, the horse started kicking, badly damaging the cart, Charles was thrown out and the horse took off.
On Saturday morning a Chevrolet car driven along Napier Street by Mr Crosthwaite of Roseberry collided with a lorry driven by Mr F O’Shea on the Alma st corner. The car skidded across the pavement and narrowly missed falling down the open cellar of the Manchester Arms Hotel.
Mr Herbert Lang of the Imperial Picture Theatre was driving his new Buick car on Watson’s Lake Road near Mr J C Dunstan’s homestead 1½ mile from St Arnaud when the car ran up an embankment and toppled over. Mr Lang was pinned under the vehicle until Mr Wilson of Gooroc found him and took him to the hospital, shaken but not badly hurt.
Mr J H Brown a surveyor was driving home from St Arnaud and when nearing St Arnuad East tried to adjust the windscreen with out stopping the car and it ran into a tree. Mr Brown, who suffered a badly cut face from the broken glass, was given assistance by Mr W Wright.
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