Looking Back

Roz Blades, centre, is fitted in the mayoral accoutrement by outgoing mayor Youhorn Chea, left, and council executive assistant Jo Thorn in November 2018. Blades announced her shock resignation due to health reasons in October 2019. (Cam Lucadou-Wells: 187758)

100 years ago

23 October 1924

You can buy anything

Anyone with a few shillings to spare at any time should walk along to the Dandenong market on Tuesday. He will find almost anything on Earth, and even part of the Earth if he wants to. Cattle of all classes are on offer, also sheep, pigs, every kind of poultry, motor cars and bicycles, “push bikes”, buggies, drays, wagons, spring carts, harnesses, saddles and bridles, furniture, pictures, ornaments and “other articles too numerous to particularise;” also stations, farms, houses, tents, and building allotments. Then, on the adjoining footpath in Lonsdale Street are numerous hawkers’ stands which have on sale fruit, vegetables, flowers, vegetable and flower plants, fish, confectionery, drapery, clothing, stationery, and so on to boot laces, and diamond collar studs at 1/6d a dozen. And on Saturdays are the horse sales, at which anybody can be suited. No aeroplanes or submarines have yet been noticed, but no doubt they will come along in good time.

50 years ago

October 1974

MINISTER OPENS SCHOOL LIBRARY

The Minister for Education, Mr Thompson, will open the new library and adventure playground at Dandenong Primary School on Friday November 1st. The library has been operating for 12 months and the adventure playground was built by members of the school community in their own time. The playground comes complete with some $1,000 worth of work and equipment, $600 of which was provided in a special centenary grant from the Education Department. The school’s centenary fell in May and the celebrations in November will fulfill a dual role. School principal Mr Tom Houlihan said the school deferred its centenary celebrations because it felt it was “upstaged” with centenary of local government celebrations arranged by the city.

20 years ago

25 October 2004

Dande gets a serve

The State Government has given the green light for the $6.4 million redevelopment of the Dandenong Basketball Stadium into the state volleyball centre. Work on the project is expected to commence next June and be completed by the end of the year. The project will be funded by the State Government with $5 million from the Community Support Fund and $1.4 million from the City of Greater Dandenong. Under the plans, the stadium will be extended to include six dedicated indoor volleyball courts, two beach volleyball courts, changing facilities and office space for Volleyball Victoria staff.

5 years ago

22 October 2019

Service above all

To the shock of many, Roz Blades AM suddenly resigned after a stellar 32 years as a Springvale and Greater Dandenong councillor on 10 October. She expressed her “greatest regret” at tendering her immediate resignation due to ongoing health issues. “I believe this decision is in the best interest of our city as I am not able to perform to the best of my ability and to the level which the council and its constituents should expect. I have been honoured to have served the councils, first Springvale and then Greater Dandenong and wish everyone well for the future.”

Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society