Reflections of the past

Veteran Bob Knight, in his 21st season, never wasted a kick in the 23-point win. Rodney and Bruce Watson, along with Kevin Hansen, were the other contributors.

There were three Watson brothers (David the remaining brother) in the team, Bruce the youngest.

Rochester sat eighth on the ladder after five rounds of the season. A week later the Tigers faced second-ranked Euroa and were beaten 33.21 (219) to 6.11 (47).

Richard Castles kicked two of the six goals, while Rod Mullarvey was among the better players with Crilly and Hansen.

— One of Rochester Jockey Club’s longest-serving committee members, Jack Fitzgerald, was honoured with life membership.

His late father, Patrick, was also a life member of the club.

He was a foundation member of the bowling club, jockey club and fire brigade.

— Football in the Goulburn Valley was cancelled owing to flood conditions throughout the whole region.

Rochester, Shepparton and Mooroopna had been inundated with floodwaters.

Moves had been made to move the Rochester and Kyabram game to Kyabram, but the oval there was also affected by the big wet.

— Floodwaters entered a number of buildings on the weekend of May 18 and 19 when the Campaspe River broke its banks.

The flood height of 22 feet was slightly lower than in 1956, but several Mackay St shops required sand bagging.

The waters created some problems for the federal election, which was on the same weekend. All sporting events were cancelled and the races abandoned.

Shire secretary Ron Westcott was outside the shire hall in the floodwaters while Ken Bickley and “Boots” Baker enjoyed a beer in a boat outside the Criterion Hotel.

— Seven members of the Rochester Pastoral and Agricultural Society’s Great Northern Show committee formed a deputation to council for support in improving the recreation reserve.

Secretary Lorraine Quinlan, past president Les Williams, president Lachlan Taylor and ground steward Geoff Carr were among those who were asking for better lighting, power supply and drainage.

The aim was to secure a $30,000 loan for the works.

1984

Rochester’s senior football coach Tony Fox quit and reserves coach Geoff Ringin was appointed to the role.

Presdient Neil Gledhill received the resignation letter from the coach after a dismal season was highlighted by a 25-goal loss to Mooroopna.

Mr Gledhill said Fox had not been under pressure to resign, but his resignation had come at a time when the committee was meeting to discuss the team performance.

In the first post-Fox match the team lost by 35 points to Kyabram — which was seventh on the ladder.

Rochester had won just one game for the season, among its best were Mick Keenan and Peter Fuller, who both kicked four goals.

Kyabram’s Wayne Deledio kicked four for Kyabram, while former Melbourne player Shane Fitzsimmons was also a star.

A week later Rochester ruckman Ron Haring was selected in the 35-man Victorian Country squad to contest a match against Victorian Amateurs.

Other GV players in the team were two-time league best-and-fairest David Code, Jeff Berry, Seymour goalkicker Darren Comi and United’s Richard Warburton.

— Reg Ellis was installed as president of Rochester Rotary at the club’s 20th anniversary dinner.

He took over the role from Geoff Murray.

— Rochester council was seeking public opinion on a proposal to enter Rochester in the Develop Victoria Council’s Premier Smaller Town Contest.

Shire secretary Kevin Jackel was collating the information to contest against other towns with a population smaller than 6000.

— Hawthorn VFL star Peter Knights was guest speaker at a dinner in Rochester.

He spoke to the Advance Rochester group after it had already hosted Olympian Raelene Boyle, who had also been secured by ARA president John O’Bree.

— Details were unveiled of the planned upgrade to the Rochester and District war memorial hospital.

Manager Fred Roberts and director of nursing Val Williamson said the day care centre upgrade would be in the area previously occupied by the staff quarters and the director of nursing’s flat.

It allowed for an occupational therapy area, a physiotherapy room, two consulting rooms and kitchen and toilet facilities.

1994

Bill Pittaway retired from his 58-year butchering career.

He enlisted in the Air Force during World War II and after almost four years in New Guinea he returned home to Lockington.

He eventually moved with the business’ expansion to Rochester on the site of what was the Murray Goulburn factory.

After 28 years he ought the business and another three decades later was calling time.

— Paul McMahon was following in the footsteps of his sister Sharelle and was selected in the Victorian schoolboys football side. The 15-year-old was one of 55 chosen from 600 competing to be selected in the squad.

The Rochester Secondary College student was playing with LBU’s Under-17 team.

— Rochester Shire dropped out of the running to be the site of a new medium-security jail.

An emotional public meeting resulted in a 33-31 vote against the proposal that council lodge an expression of interest in developing the jail in the shire.

A meeting of the majority of council after the public gathering voted not to continue with the proposal.

The proposal needed to show strong community support for the concept before it was accepted by the state government.

Although meetings at Lockington and Gunbower overwhelmingly supported the concept, the council decided the Rochester meeting was enough to abandon its proposal.

— Tony Hooppell and Shannon Waters picked up the major prizes at Campaspe Cricket Association’s presentation evening.

Hooppell, captain of Rochester United, was named the north-west country cricketer of the year and won the umpire’s award.

Hooppell scored 403 runs and took 27 wickets, while also polling 24 votes to win the umpire’s award from Echuca’s David Jackson.

Waters was named the junior cricketer of the year. Waters scored 110 in the a grade grand final and took 3-77 with the ball.

The 20-year-old had been linked to Melbourne University CC for the future.