100 years ago
3 January 1924
Editorial
Dandenong steps out on the threshold of another year, with bright prospects for the future, and the end of 1924 should find the progressive spirit still burning within us. We have every reason to be proud of our advancement during the year just closed, and we can justly label it with the progressive slogan “Something done, something accomplished!” Now that we have our hand to the plough, there must be no slacking off, but a pushing forward to the goal of our ambition -The making of Dandenong second to none as a residential and business town. We are at present faced with two impediments to that natural flow of population – big rents and high land values.
50 years ago
8 January 1974
Commission to build for the top brass
The Housing Commission will build 77 executive type houses in the Dandenong area despite a serious shortage of standard houses. Speaking in State Parliament, Mr Alan Lind MLA for Dandenong said: ”The commission selected 77 sites for the erection of executive type houses in Dandenong. I agree with the erection of executive type houses in country areas because if industries go to country towns, they must have somewhere to house their senior personnel. However, I do not think it’s necessary for those homes to be constructed in Dandenong, when so many people are waiting for standard Housing Commission homes.” Earlier in his speech Mr Lind referred to the plight of about 750 applicants for Housing Commission homes in and around Dandenong.
20 years ago
5 January 2004
Water the big issue
The drought was one of the big issues of 2003, perhaps the issue. There’s little doubt the water issue will dominate the next year. As water storage level across Victoria have fallen, tighter restrictions have been implemented. With catchments standing at less than 60% water conservation is becoming increasingly important. Australia is the worlds driest continent and is in the grip of several years of drought, but it’s only in the past year people have realised the seriousness of the problem. As people learn to live with stage two water restrictions, the hot summer and low rainfall water is becoming the number one issue.
5 years ago
14 January 2019
2018 Person of the year
There’s plenty of fight in Dandenong’s world class kick boxer Rahullah Sarwari. The 17-year-old Afghan born fighter has withstood notable challenges in his life with admirable determination. He is a worthy role model and recipient of the Journal’s person of the year 2018. As recently featured in Sar News, Rahullah had been denied from representing Australia in Kung Fu world titles due to a citizenship row. Despite his best efforts and fistfuls of national medals, the permanent visa holder was not granted citizenship prior to the 2017 championships. So, he reinvented his martial arts career and took up kick boxing. Amazingly on the back of just four prior fights Rahullah placed third in his age division at WAKO kickboxing world titles in Venice Italy in September.
Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society
