100 years ago
3 July 1925
BACON FACTORY FIRE
GOODS “SAVED” BY FIREMEN
Dandenong residents were startled to hear, shortly after seven o’clock on Sunday evening, the ringing of the fire bell. The church bells had only just ceased ringing when the call to a fire rang out. Residents rushed out their doors to ascertain why, and flames were seen issuing from a building near the railway line. On inspection, it was found to be the works of the Gippsland Co-operative Bacon Curing Pty Ltd. Fifteen members of the Dandenong Fire Brigade, under the command of Captain Tulloch, together with ten auxiliary firemen rushed to the scene. When the brigade men reached the fire, flames were issuing from the top of the two-storey building and spreading. An employee at the works got in touch by phone with the fire brigade at Eastern Hill. As a result, pumps were dispatched from Surrey Hills and Glen Huntly, and District Officer Wright of Hawthorn was instructed to proceed to the scene in the officer’s car to take charge of the operation. The pumps did an excellent service, and greatly assisted in getting the fire under control. At 10 o’clock District Officer Wright handed over the operations to the Dandenong brigade and left.
50 years ago
28 June 1975
PROGRESS OF A CITY ON THE MOVE
Dandenong is a city on the move. This was evidenced by the first report ever presented by the City Engineer, Mr Gordan Wright, to Dandenong Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mr Wright said the financial recession saw a withdrawal of four major projects, but planning interest was slowly reviving. In Thomas St, site construction has already begun for a seven-story office block being built by private enterprise. In the proposed reserved offensive-industry zone, Mr Wright said “indications suggest rapid development will occur in this zone.”
20 years ago
4 July 2005
Building bridges: Eastlink races ahead of schedule
The Eastlink project is off to a “flying start” says Transport Minister Peter Batchelor, after inspecting a bridge being built in Dandenong. Mr Batchelor visited Oakwood Avenue to inspect the first of 86 bridges being built as part of the $2.5 billion project. “In Dandenong alone, major bridging work is ready to start at Oakwood Avenue, Halton Road and the Princes Highway-Heatherton Road interchange.” Some of the construction work which will be completed by September, will be earth works north of Halton Road in Dandenong North, the construction of a bridge over Cheltenham Road, reconstruction of Bridge Road in Keysborough and construction of the bridge in Oakwood Avenue. The project will be completed and open to the public in late 2008.
5 years ago
30 June 2020
Council ‘baulked’ at $1.2 million legal bill
Greater Dandenong Council abandoned all 96 charges against I Cook Foods and director Ian Cook only to avoid legal costs a Parliamentary inquiry heard. Despite dropping the case the council’s city planning director Jody Bosman told the inquiry that the prosecution was not “without foundation” or of “doubtful success”. Mr Bosman said he initially approved charges due to their seriousness and risk posed to public health at the time. Their withdrawal should not be seen as “vindication’ of I Cook Foods’ position, Mr Bosman told the inquiry.
Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society
