Looking Back

Horse racing at Sandown Racecourse in 2021. A proposal to rezone the 112-hectare site for a 7500-dwelling estate is currently on public exhibition.

100 years ago

29 May 1924

For Sale

PianoBox Buggy, hooded, rubber tyres, good order. “Merrimu” Walker Street, Dandenong.

Five white Leghorn cockerels. Government poultry farm strain: pedigree on application. E.C. Hayman, McPherson-St Dandenong.

Triumph motor cycle. Perfect order, appearance as new, all accessories 25pounds. E. Hill King-St.

Electric Light Globes, best brand (guaranteed) 1/1 each 25 to 50 c.p. H.R. Edwards, Dandenong.

Aluminium Stew Pans, 1 ½ pts, extra heavy duty, 21/11, set of five. H.R. Edwards, Dandenong.

Eggs – Incubator lots 30/- per hundred. White and fawn runners, record layers. J.Symonds, D’Nong.

50 years ago

28 May 1974

‘The Lord will provide,’ but it’s … Battle of the beds

Dandenong and District Hospital is having a constant battle to find beds for patients, acting matron, Sister A. P. Lyons, reported to the committee last week. One day last week, an all time high of 194 patients was reached, 30 more than the hospital can officially accommodate. “The nursing staff spends part of every day re-arranging beds and patients in an attempt to facilitate admissions. It is a great battle to provide beds for the acutely ill, who often have to be admitted to casualty as a temporary measure in the hope that the Lord will provide, and He invariably does.” Completion of the 40-bed annexe will relieve pressure on the bed situation, at least for a week or two. Replying to Dr Hart, who asked when the new emergency 40-bed ward would be ready, Secretary / Manager Mick Tardiff said “my guess would be early June.”

20 years ago

31 May 2004

New checkout system no swipe at jobs: Coles

Customers at Bi-Lo Fountain Gate Shopping Centre are able to serve themselves as part of a six-month trial. Four terminals that allow customers to pack their own groceries went online at the store last Monday. Coles Myer corporate affairs manager Melissa O’Neil said at this stage, the self-service units were only a trial. “We will run it over a 6-month period and see what happens. We will look at the customer acceptance rates and go from there.” Ms O’Neil denied the technology would replace jobs. One Narre Warren resident who used the equipment for the first time last week said the process was “good, quick and easy.” “I would use it again, but I don’t think I would do my weekly shopping using it.”

5 years ago

27 May 2019

Sandown rezoning, but no plans yet.

Sandown racecourse’s owner has announced that it will seek to rezone the iconic venue, but is insisting there are no firm plans for redevelopment. In a statement, Melbourne Racing Club announced it was seeking to rezone its freehold land at Caulfield and Sandown racecourses from Special Use to Comprehensive Development zones. The drawcard venue currently hosts 35 horse track meets a year, Supercars racing and a variety of festivals and community events.

Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society