1930's
• Chinese population expands in Tocumwal area. The gold rush in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland saw a large number of Chinese workers come to the country from Quandong Province in China. They were renowned for their honesty and hard work in the gold fields doing work the Europeans found too difficult. Wherever they went, their ability to create market gardens ensured produce was available to the workers on the mine fields. When the gold rush ended large camps of the Chinese were hired as contract labourers to ring bark scrub on large Riverina properties between Corowa and Deniliquin. As many as 200 people were in the camps. Scrub between Tocumwal and Finley was extremely thick so the Chinese were a welcome addition to the workforce. The scrub ring barking finished in the 1930's. Many Chinese found work on the Station properties where they worked as cooks and gardeners with the remainder returning to their homes in China or moving to the cities and towns where their descendents still remain.
1936
- On June 5, Victorian railway freights were reduced as a result of motor competition from 60/- to 35/-
1938
- In this year the machine gun platoon of the 57760th Battalion A.I.F. was formed in Tocumwal with the strength of 26 men under Sergeant W Ross (later Captain) and Corporal F DeAbel (later W.O.2). This unit was placed on full war footing at the outbreak of the war and was sent to Northern Australia in 1942. They landed in Port Moresby on 11/3/43 and saw service in New Guinea and Bouganville until the end of the war.
1941
- Old C.B.C. bank building becomes the Tourist Bureau and Employment agency and booking office for Australian National Airlines and agency for Bank NSW. It is now a private residence.
1942
- Ration books were given out in June, they contained 268 coupons on eight pages, six of these for fortnightly rations, including tea. Of the eight pages only a few were available for clothing.
1945
- Grade Fields visited the camp at the airfield and sang for the Air Force, local talent provided support for the programme.
1949
- Batescrew Pumps and Valves Australia opened business.
1951
- Wirth's Circus visited Tocumwal.
- It was advised that arrangements have been completed with the Commonwealth Government for the supply of milk free of charge to parents or children, to all primary pupils. The basic quantity for each child was a one third pint on each school day.
- Electricity blackouts were imposed in the Berrigan Shire on every second day to save power.
- Tocumwal air service commenced when an Australian National Airways passenger plane landed here at 9.55am and indications during the week were that the new service would be widely used. Passengers on the first northbound flight were Mrs F E Peacock and Miss A Johnson, who were going to Sydney and Mrs Kentish bound for Parkes. Six passengers arrived in from Melbourne and on this flight was the first bag of air mail from Melbourne. First southbound aircraft carried Mr Tom Kelly, Miss Nelson and Frank Ruwolt. Present indication was if the demand continued the airline company would have to increase the seat allocation to cope with the traffic.
- A helicopter based at the RAAF station crashed into the river about 150 yards west of the Tocumwal Bridge. The helicopter passed over the town and proceeded down the river, it is understood that the pilot was looking for a suitable site to carry out rescue exercises the following day. Witnesses stated that as the machine was proceeding up the river towards the bridge the motor cut out and the machine hit the high tension wires and then crashed.
The pilot Flying Officer Scott escaped uninjured but a passenger Dr G Strow was injured. RAAF personnel were able to tow the wreckage from the river but the machine was beyond repair.
1953
- For the first time, sheep were transported from Tocumwal aerodrome by an Australian National Airways DC3 air freighter, 34 going to Narromine and one to Sydney. Cost of transporting the sheep by air was approx. £4/10/- per head.
1955
- One of the biggest brown snakes ever seen by local residents measuring 7ft % in. was killed by Ken Soule near his father's farm at Yarroweyah North. Snake catcher Eric West said it was the biggest brown snake he had ever seen.
- E Tucknott took four wickets for four runs to have Tocumwal Hotel defeat Farmers' Arms by 37 in the Hotels Cricket Competition.
1956
The Snowy Mountains Authority, the largest users of explosives in N.S.W., was one of a number of major constructing authorities using the Tocumwal explosives depot as their source of supply. The I.C.I, explosive depot at Tocumwal was the largest in the State and the main source of supply for both Queensland and N.S.W. Ninety per cent of the two coal mines in these two States relied on Tocumwal for their supply of gelignite and dynamite.
The depot situated about two miles out of Tocumwal on the Newell Highway was opened in 1956. The company previously operated from an outer Melbourne suburb, but the rapid growth of population in that area forced the Company to seek the "wide open spaces". The Tocumwal depot was set up on the former Army Camp site and covered nearly 2000 acres, with nearly a dozen magazines to store the explosives.
The explosives were railed to Tocumwal, and the consignments were then transhipped in to NSW, trucked to their final destination, or railed direct into the depot's siding and taken into the explosives area for storage or for breaking down into smaller lots as required. This business is now known as Orica.
1957
In December one of the worst bushfires in this district for many years occurred in the Lower River Road, Tuppal area on Friday afternoon. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 acres of grassland, 3,000 acres of State forest and 4000 sheep were destroyed in the blaze, as well as buildings and hundreds of miles of fencing.
The fire is reported to have started at Moroco West and before anything could be organised had swept through Moroco East, Ternabulla and Main Camp, and was not brought under control until the wind changed in the evening. The local fire brigade was assisted by many volunteers from Tocumwal and surrounding towns and districts. During the afternoon the pall of smoke extended east over fifty miles and at night the flow of the fire lit up the western sky.
Jim McPherson, after 52 years working as a shearer and crutcher, retired aged 72. He was estimated to have shorn and crutched 1 1/2 million sheep. He began his work in shearing sheds as a "board boy", and after three successive years of picking up for the blade shearers he commenced shearing at old Aratula shed (built about 1860), later known as Main Camp, in 1905.
Modern transport made the job easier, as in his early days it was all horse transport. Almost every year flood waters had to be negotiated and on one occasion a team of shearers were transported from Tocumwal to Aratula and Fejans by paddle steamer.
1959
- Funds were raised for the ugly man competition at Mr Eric West's when about 150 watched Eric and Mr Ken Slater of the Australian Reptile Park (Gosford) milk about 30 tiger snakes. A comprehensive talk was given on the subject and all who attended were fascinated with the cool handling ability of both Eric and Ken.
It was unfortunate that Ken was bitten by one of the last snakes and was rushed to hospital for treatment. Ken Slater had previously been bitten by the notorious death adder and Taipan snakes but this was his first Tiger bite. He suffered no great inconvenience and was back at work again on Monday afternoon.
- Lifesaving and Swimming Club formed. President B Birrel. Thirty seven attended and they used the Murray River.
- A civilian pilot, who "buzzed" the RAAF station at Tocumwal, was fined £75 by Mr R J Kelly, SM, for breaching air regulations by flying at less than 500 ft.
The pilot John W Brookes, 29, poultry farmer and owner of an aircraft maintenance business, said he was asked to "buzz" the aerodrome by RAAF personnel. Warrant Officer L J Westwood said he was in the headquarters building at Tocumwal on November 18 when an aircraft flew over head.
He intercepted the plane, a Mustang, on the taxiway and asked the pilot for his landing authority. Brookes replied that he had come to inspect some Mustangs the Government had listed for disposal.
Sergeant W T Toohey said after taking off the Mustang turned and came back over the aerodrome at below hangar level, passing beneath high tension wires strung between two hangars at about 300 miles an hour. |
