non-fictionA collection of the history of early hotels in the Wodonga areahotels wodonga, hotels bethanga, hotels bonegilla, hotels victoria history

A small book of 88 pages with green binding featuring a photo of Ned Monte on the cover. It includes a map of the Siam-Burma Railway 1942-1945non-fictionIn this memoir Edward Rupert (Ned) Monte reflects on his early life. He begins with memories of his father William Monte who was a timber getter and champion axeman. Ned tells of his childhood and schooling at Bonegilla where he earned much needed pocket money catching Murray Cod to sell at hotels and boarding houses as well as rabbits for their skins and to feed the family. Ned worked in the motor business in Albury before joining the Army in 1941. He was taken prisoner in Singapore and spent 3½ years on the Burma Railway. Ned’s account of these years is matter-of-fact, but does not understate the awful conditions the POWs endured. He mentions many times the courage and risks taken to get additional items of food. Ned also acknowledged the help given by the local people in Thailand who traded food and medicines in spite of Japanese threats. Before leaving Singapore, Ned located 16 Albury boys among the POWs. One of his sad tasks when he returned in 1946, was to visit families and recount how their sons died. When Ned returned to Albury, his brother-in-law, Ern Bleasdale took him trout fishing for a week near Mitta Mitta. That week in the bush was the start of Ned’s rehabilitation. However, the trauma of his years of captivity never completely left him. This book is dedicated to all surviving Prisoners of War.ned monte, prisoners of war, bonegila families, burma railway

The Halfway Hotel was built c1871. It was a thriving business in the days of the bullock wagon and was virtual headquarters of border drovers and teamsters, who camped on the Wodonga Flats opposite. Mr. John Jennings applied for a license in 1871 but it was refused. In October 1872 a License was granted to Thomas Weeks who was advertising that he had purchased the premises. In December 1878 the licensee was advertised as Ann Weeks. Daniel McCormick took over as licensee in 1882 and was followed by Thomas Fitzgerald. In September 1886, Fitzgerald transferred the licence of the hotel which contained eight rooms, to Patrick Flanagan. Flanaghan was a hotel keeper, brewer and stock trader. Pearce Murphy became licensee in 1889, followed briefly by his wife, Julia, in 1890. In September 1890, the licence was transferred back to Patrick Flanagan, the hotel’s owner. During the 1890s, the licence changed hands a number of times. Licensees included Alexander McDonald, Mrs Spehrs, George and Mary Rust. In December 1895, George Rust held the ‘Halfway Races’ on a course at the back of the hotel. Towards the end of the 1890s, Patrick Flanagan was again licensee of the hotel. He died in his residence at the Halfway Hotel in 1929. The license was then held for two years by his son, Mr M.J. Flanagan. In June 1931 the licence was transferred from Maude J. Flanagan to Percy Pickering. In July 1939 the hotel was sold by Mr P.W. Pickering to Irene Weatherall. The new licensee was Mr H.O. Harris of Bonegilla. In April 1940 The Licensing Court granted an application to remove the Halfway Hotel, Albury Road, Wodonga, to the corner of Elgin and Smythe Streets, Wodonga, on condition that premises were to be erected within 42 weeks. Applicants were Irene A. Weatherall and Lena Emma Pickering, owners, and Harold O. Harris, licensee. Mr Edwin Harold and Mrs Ruby Scholz bought the property. Ruby was a sister of Emma Pickering. They lived there until the premises was demolished for the widening of the Lincoln Causeway. These images document an early business in Wodonga c1870 to 1940.A black and white image of a hotel building.Above building: HALFWAY HOTELhalfway hotel, wodonga hotels, wodonga businesses