non-fictionFor 25 years of his working life he worked as a Shire Engineer in West Gippsland and developed a reputation for competence and efficiency. Passionate about both trees and golf, he was a careful and measured man with an entrepreneurial spirit who worked behind the scenes He was seen by many as aloof and a hard man and by the very few who became close to him, as warm and fun loving and fond of children. Ross formed a business association with Wally Lawson in Warragul and together they embarked on a number of projects to advance the town and the district. As a young man, Ross had studied geology and working with quarries was familiar to him in his role as a Shire Engineer. In 1959 he established Bayview Quarries in partnership with Wally Lawson. When, in 1968, Bayview Quarries was taken over by Boral Ltd., Ross approached Tom Maw who had an operational quarry at Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. Ross and Maw became partners in what became Hillview Quarries. Ross also became the largest individual shareholder in Western Mining. Those shares formed the major part of the legacy he left to establish The R. E. Ross Trust and The Trust now operates on its income from assets acquired following the disposal of the Western Mining shares and from the earnings of Hilhnew Quarries. It is the only trust in Australia which owns a quarry as one of its investments.engineering, philanthropy, quarryman, investor, r.e. ross trust, hillview quarries, wally lawson, roy everard ross

The Fred Rochow Railways Collection incorporates photos related to the operation of the Wodonga Railway Station including different types of trains and railways staff C. 1930 – 1990. It was donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Fred Rochow, a railwayman who spent many years based in Wodonga. He joined the Victorian Railways on 17th June l947 and retired in 1988. For some time, he was a member of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen and served a term as a member of the Trades Hall Council. He had an extensive knowledge of the struggles that took place to achieve better conditions for railway workers. Fred worked for many years as a fireman and then worked his way up the ranks to driver, experiencing many changes from the days of steam locomotives through to diesel trains, locomotives and even the modern XPT train. He worked throughout Victoria at different stages of his career, with his final working years focused on the northeast of Victoria and the Albury to Melbourne line. After his retirement, Fred continued to share his love of steam miniature trains with the community. George Padgett was born into a railway family in Numurkah, Victoria on 3 February 1890. He began working for the Victorian Railways as a junior clerk in Maryborough and gained his Driver’s ticket in 1913 at North Melbourne. In November 1937 when the “Spirit of Progress” made its first run from Melbourne to Albury, he was moved to Wodonga. From the train's first return trip he took over the driving. During his career, he made an average of 92 round trips a year. George made his last trip on 4 February 1955 prior to his retirement. George died in Wodonga on 19 February 1967. This collection has local and statewide significance as it captures images of trains, locomotives and personnel who operated the railway services in Wodonga and throughout Northeast Victoria. The railways played a critical role in opening up Victoria and connecting Australia for trade, business, social communication and transport.A group of men gathered at a retirement function for George Padgett in 1955. George was a driver on the "Spirit of Progress". Back Row: Cyril Hughes, Steve Cuper, Ted Hamilton, Lloyd Holmes, George Lloyd, Frank Fulford, Tom Guinane (?), Mick Kowalzuk (?) Centre Row: Bill Welsh, Eric Molloy, Tom Fitzgerald, Reg Feitz (?), Unknown, George Taylor, Bill Baldock, Reg Matthews, Ted Jenkins, Buddy Straghan(?), Unknown. Seated Front Row: Vic Jones, Vin Snow, Jack Dawe. George Padgett, Alex Reid, ? Lawson, Unknown, Austin Fulford, Doug West, Wally Riley, Norm Davey, Unknown, Wally McGeachin (Clerk), Morrie Flanigan.railways wodonga, fred rochow, k class locomotives