100 years ago
25 January 2023
Cricket Catering
A pleasing feature of the cricket match between the South Melbourne Club and the team representing the Dandenong and Berwick Cricket Association at Dandenong, was the excellent catering by the ladies. Mrs McQuade of the Albion Hotel catered for the excellent luncheon. Tea was prepared and admirably served by the Misses McQuade and Nesbitt and Mrs Nesbitt and Mrs Duff. The visiting team were very complimentary in their remarks about the catering, and they evidently realised that, whilst Mart McQuade scored heavily against them with the bat, the lady members of the McQuade family also “scored well” as caterers – as they usually do.
50 years ago
23 January 1973
Thompsons Rd a dual highway?
Springvale Council has received plans from the Country Roads Board indicating that provision should be made for the future widening of Thompsons Rd to a width of two chains. Thompsons Rd would then become a divided carriageway linking the South Gippsland Hwy to Wells Rd and eventually through the proposed marina development to the beach. The proposal is to widen Thompsons Rd on the north side through the city between Frankston and Wells roads. The City Engineer Mr Roy Boyd, successfully recommended that the CRB be advised that the council agreed in-principle to widening Thompsons Rd. However, he considered that the construction of a two-chain road with a divided carriageway was of a higher standard for what was envisaged by the council as an unclassified road and should be treated by the board as main road acquisition.
20 years ago
27 January 2003
To charred Canberra a delivery full of love
While the horrendous Canberra bushfires have destroyed more than 400 houses leaving four people dead and thousands homeless, human spirit still has a name – David Burgess. Mr Burgess, of Endeavour Hills, decided to use his one-week leave form driving Grenda’s buses to transport a bus of donated toiletries up to Canberra. “I rang up four charities in Canberra and they all said they needed toiletries more than anything.” Grenda’s generously donated a bus and the fuel for Mr Burgess’s trip. Endeavour Hills Pharmacy, Amcal and Sigma donated boxes full of toilet paper, toothbrushes, deodorant, nappies, and other pharmaceuticals. Big Time clothing company donated $6,700 of clothing.
5 years ago
29 January 2018
Retired but helping still
Maria Mastroianni says 25 years of volunteering has helped her to stay mentally and physically active. The 79-year-old has been giving her time to the community since she and husband Ernie retired in August 1992. On Friday 26 January she was recognised as the volunteer of the year at the Greater Dandenong Australia Day Awards presentation in the Dandenong Park.
Over the years she’s volunteered her time for St Vincent de Paul, Monash Health, U3A, Meals on Wheels, local nursing homes, Heritage Hill Museum and gardens, Neighbourhood Watch, St Marys Church, the Doveton Show and more. “I like volunteering because it makes me feel good,” she said. “Its not only what you give but what you share with the people.”
Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society
