The establishment of the "Wodonga Herald" was an attempt to create a publication to cater to the needs of the growing local township of Wodonga and the surrounding townships. The proponents of the publication aimed to promote the area and its interests on a wider scale at the same time as the railways were extending into the district. It was intended for circulation in Wodonga as well as Barnawartha, Yackandandah, Kiewa, Towong, Koetong, Tallangatta, Mitta Mitta and the Upper Murray as well as Chiltern, Brown's Plains. Rutherglen, Wahgunyah, Albury and its vicinity. The publication did not meet is objectives and folded on 4 October 1873. The "Murray and Hume Times" was founded as its successor. It was published in Wodonga and Albury on Tuesdays and Fridays and circulated through the whole of the Murray and Hume Districts. The place the new publication was printed seems to have fluctuated between a printing office in Dean Street, Albury, and the main printing office in Sydney Street, Wodonga. By June 1874 the "Murray and Hume Times" had also run into financial difficulties. In October 1874, only one year after its launch the second paper changed hands to the owner of the Albury Banner, George Adams. This item is significant as it represents one of the earliest newspaper publications for the Wodonga district.A photo of the front page of the first issue of the Wodonga Herald published in Wodonga on Saturday, April 19, 1873. Price Sixpence. The image has been mounted with a card backing in a metal frame. The publication included circulation to Barnawartha, Yackandandah, Kiewa, Towong, Tintaldra, Koetong, Tallangatta, Mitta Mitta and Upper Murray Advertiser.wodonga herald, early wodonga newspapers, the murray and hume times, the albury banner, george adams publisher

Harry Stead, Snr., owned and operated Wodonga’s first taxi service. He had horse drawn cabs running between Wodonga, and Albury in 1868. He also ran a carrying business with wagons and drays. Workmen from Albury and Wodonga were carried to the construction site of the Hume Weir. Drays, although slow, were used with room for 10 or 12 paying passengers, at times. Stead’s paddocks ran back from Sydney Street (now High Street) with stable accommodation for his 70 and more horses. The Provincial Motel occupied part of the site in later years. Harry’s son, “young Harry” joined his Dad around 1892 as soon as his schooldays were over. After the horse drawn cabs, the Steads began a motorised taxi, hire car and bus services. Some of the taxis used were an A-Model Ford, 1934 Ford, Ford V8, Dodge Tourer, Hudson Six and, earlier, the 1923 Buick with dicky seat. Among the drivers were Stan Hogbin, Gerry Gerrard, Jack O’Neill, “Peggy” O’Neill, Ernie “Honey” Zeinert, Cliff Williams and Les Cole. Young Harry had four cars on the rank from 1930 to 1940 when competition for fares was fierce. He had his regulars who paid 4/- a week to go to and from Albury daily. In 1934, Harry was before the Albury Police Court, charged with having driven his taxi on a public road without a taxi licence. The Albury Municipal Council required all taxi drivers to have a NSW certificate of registration before collecting fares in NSW. The case was held as a test case and as a result the regulation was amended to enable the Council to issue public vehicle licenses to a Victorian registered vehicle as long it travelled no more than 10 miles over the border.These images are significant because they document an early transport service provided to the Wodonga community.Three black and white photos depicting Harry Stead and his Wodonga Taxi Service.harry stead wodonga, transport wodonga, wodonga services