DANDENONG STAR JOURNAL
Home » Looking Back

Looking Back

100 years ago

21 June 1923

Cattle in Market yards

Regarding the complaints recently made by the local police in regard to stock left in the market yards overnight, without food, as it is the intention of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to prosecute the owners of cattle so left, the Council desires me to point out, for the information of owners, that the responsibility for seeing that the cattle are fed and watered rest entirely with the owners – Yours

K G McAlpin, Shire Secretary

50 years ago

14 June 1973

Dr Oldham honoured

“If my father could have been here, this is something that he would have truly appreciated. Of all the areas in medicine with which he was concerned, this was the one he favoured by far.” These comments were made by Mr Max Oldham, as he unveiled a memorial plaque to his father’s memory at the entrance to the new obstetric suite which the committee of the Dandenong and District Hospital has named in his honour. Dr Oldham served the hospital and the community well for the greater part of his life. Dr Ian Hart, Dr Oldham’s oldest colleague, said that to him he was “Alf Oldham, my best friend.” When the hospital first started Dr Oldham had watched it built brick by brick. “Many women in this district have good reason to be grateful for the care and attention and the skill shown by Dr Oldham over many, many years.”

20 years ago

1 June 2003

Plea on Town Hall work

The long running saga of the Dandenong Town Hall redevelopment continues with residents petitioning to stop the project. A petition signed by 328 was tabled by Cr David Kelly at a Greater Dandenong Council meeting. It called on the council to stop redevelopment plans and sought the retention, restoration and refurbishment of the existing town hall. Dandenong Residents and Rate Payers Association (DRRA) said: “Many people in Dandenong and the surrounding region are strongly attached to the existing town hall, Dandenong’s major public heritage focal point. It holds for them and us, immense social cultural and traditional significance – It both tangibly and spiritually connects us with our past and should be passed on to our descendants to give them a sense of where they have come from and their place in time.”

5 years ago

18 June 2018

Trolley small change to make big change

Greater Dandenong has won a battle in its war on shopping trolleys. At their Tuesday 12 June meeting, councillors agreed to proceed with a plan to make coin operations mandatory on carts in the municipality. In February the Journal reported that Cr Sean O’Reilly’s frustration with dumped shopping trolleys had hit breaking point and he’d suggested a new local law could combat the “shopping trolley wasteland”. Cr Tim Dark took the next step and moved the local law change. Cr O’Reilly welcomed the motion.

Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society

Digital Editions


  • Seagulls legends honoured

    Seagulls legends honoured

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 533225 **One of the most awesome things you’ll see in local sport is the new mural on the wall…

More News

  • Alleged car thief faces 60-plus charges

    Alleged car thief faces 60-plus charges

    An alleged serial car thief has been charged after using electronic key reprogramming devices to steal at least 25 cars across Melbourne, police say. The 27-year-old faces more than 60…

  • Dandenong downed by impressive VPC debutant century

    Dandenong downed by impressive VPC debutant century

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 528966 Dandenong (203) was on the receiving end of a milestone moment amidst a defeat to finals-bound Melbourne (6/308) at Shepley Oval in round…

  • Noble falls painfully short

    Noble falls painfully short

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 531172 A shakeup in the finals mix came in the form of a Croydon (210) upset as Noble Park (146) faltered at home in…

  • Critical nursery in need of a home

    Critical nursery in need of a home

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 532813 A volunteer nursery helping to propagate the South East’s disappearing flora is now itself under threat. Greenlink Sandbelt Nursery has been supplying the…

  • Three arrested following alleged stabbing in Narre Warren

    Three arrested following alleged stabbing in Narre Warren

    Three teenage boys were arrested last week following an alleged stabbing in Narre Warren. Police believe the altercation took place between a group of boys at a shopping centre on…

  • Galloping into a New Year with style

    Galloping into a New Year with style

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 531866 Under a blazing blue sky, thousands of revellers celebrated the Year of the Horse at the annual Springvale Lunar New Year festival. More…

  • Sign of the times: Record crowd expected at Bring Your Bills

    Sign of the times: Record crowd expected at Bring Your Bills

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 403433 February is piling up with credit card debt, back-to-school bills and higher interest rates – so the time is more than ripe for…

  • Funding call to further combat racism

    Funding call to further combat racism

    An anti-racism support network has provided its first insights after a year of documenting racism across the state, the first of its kind in Australia. The network, established in 2025…

  • Socialists stake their claims for State Parliament

    Socialists stake their claims for State Parliament

    Victorian Socialists has revealed its candidates for the relatively safe Labor seats, Dandenong and Mulgrave in the upcoming state election. Both young candidates chant calls for change, saying the two…

  • A spot of kindness led by young local leaders

    A spot of kindness led by young local leaders

    A Casey-based Girl Guides group dedicated to empowering girls and young women has delivered a heartfelt show of support to local frontline volunteers. Narre Warren North Girl Guides recently visited…