Looking Back

32. Police Jail. Wilson Street. There is no now picture for this. 173387_12

Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society

100 years ago

13 October 1921

Women’s Section VFU (Victorian Farmers Union)

Miss Rose Currie the organising secretary of Women’s Section VFU was present at the meeting of the Dandenong VFU on Thursday night with the object of forming a branch of the Women’s section. In the course of her remarks Miss Currie said: “During the war the women folk of country districts such as Dandenong had in many cases done the hard work of farming to release their husband, son or brother to go on active service.” So she claimed they had shown their loyalty in a thoroughly practical manner and need recognition.

50 years ago

12 October 1971

Beating the long parker?

Noble Park Chamber of Commerce has suggested to Springvale Council a scheme to help solve the parking problems in Noble Park shopping centre during peak times. The scheme involves two-hour parking restrictions in Joy Parade and Buckley Steet with strict supervision of limits. Chamber president Mr Neil Wickenton said the scheme was designed to “get rid of those people who park in these streets all day”. He added: “There are too many people including local businessmen cluttering up the streets. The two-hour limit would ensure a constant turn over.”

20 years ago

8 October 2001

Survival gear sales up

The threat of terrorist attack with chemical weapons has seen residents in Greater Dandenong stock up on survival gear including gas masks and nuclear bacteria suits. Aussie Disposals, which has three stores in Dandenong, has reported a rise in interest in protective clothing, jerry cans, and water containers since the attacks in America. Aussie disposals director Mal Walford said while sales in survival equipment and gas masks were up, the increase did not match the panic buying generated by the Gulf War. There has been interest in the store’s American Army-issue $29.95 nuclear bacteria suits, he said. “The suits were issued to American troops in 1977 and during the Gulf War. We sold out of them in four or five days.”

5 years ago

10 October 2016

Hate won’t stop Muslim forum

An organiser says a stream of hate mail will not deter a region-first forum to combat Islamophobia in Dandenong. Inaz Janif said she organised the forum “The Right to Remain Muslim“ due to several reports of young Muslim women being assaulted in public. Among the victims was a woman whose hijab was snatched off her head by a male in a Hallam supermarket. Ms Janif was also aware of a group of girls wearing hijabs who were shoved into a wall by an attacker in a Melbourne shopping centre and another nearly forced off the road by a hate–speaking fellow driver. “These are people who I know and care about.” Ms Janif said the forum was a first of its kind in the South East. It was designed to promote understanding of racism, bigotry, and islamophobia, and to make young people resilient and stronger against anti-Islam sentiment.

Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society