This plaque commemorates the opening of the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards, named the W. G. Page Saleyards, in 1980. The last sales at this facility took place in February 2015 before being replaced by the privately-run Barnawartha North's Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange. William George Page was Shire and City Engineer in Wodonga from 1965 until 1989. When he arrived the Shire of Wodonga had a population of 17,000 people. In 1966 Wodonga was selected as a city for special growth assistance. In 1972 Bill Page presented a new Town Plan to the Wodonga Council. Over the ensuing years he dedicated himself to bring this plan to fruition. He often had to argue and campaign with the Albury-Wodonga Corporation to push for the interests of development in Wodonga. This included winning a planning appeal to allow the saleyards to be relocated to Bandiana on the outskirts of Wodonga. Bill Page retired on health grounds in July 1989. The Council honoured him with a farewell dinner and renamed the saleyards at Bandiana the W.G. Page Saleyards in his honour.The Mayor , Cr Valentina Gillard, said "Every development in Wodonga in the past 24 years has a bit of Bill Page in it". William Page died 3 months later at 58 years old.This plaque commemorates an important centre in the development and support of the livestock industry around Wodonga.A bronze plaque bearing the symbol of the Rural City of Wodonga in the upper left corner and an inscription to commemorate the opening of the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards. It includes a detailed inscription.RURAL CITY OF WODONGA / THIS PLAQUE WAS UNVEILED / ON 29TH JULY 1980 / BY /THE HON. J. C. BALFOUR M.P. / ACTING MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE /TO COMMEMORATE THE OPENING OF THE / WODONGA MUNICIPAL SALEYARDS CR. G. R. CHAMBERLAIN, J.P. MAYOR CR. I . J. MACAULAY CR. M. J. McEACHERN CR. D. I. SCHUBERT, B'E'N', J.P CR. H. W. DRAPER, J.P. CR. D.J .IVERSON CR. E. E. CHESTER CR I. D. WATSON CR. L. C. BOYES CR. B. F. ROGERS CR. P. M. STONE. J.P CR. B. McLEAN TOWN CLERK R. I. O"TOOLE A.I.M.A., A.R.M.I.T, M.A.I.H.S CITY ENGINEER W. G. PAGE, B.E, M.I.E (AUST) B.S .E.W.S L. G. E. A saleyards wodonga, w. g. page saleyards, livestock sales wodonga

This plaque commemorates the official opening of the liveweight selling facilities at the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards, named the W. G. Page Saleyards, in 1980. Liveweight selling usually involves a curfew where cattle have to be at the saleyard by a specific time before the sale in order for them to be weighed prior to auction. Cattle that do not make the curfew time are sold on a $/head basis. The last sales at this facility took place in February 2015 before being replaced by the privately-run Barnawartha North's Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange. William George Page was Shire and City Engineer in Wodonga from 1965 until 1989. When he arrived the Shire of Wodonga had a population of 17,000 people. In 1966 Wodonga was selected as a city for special growth assistance. In 1972 Bill Page presented a new Town Plan to the Wodonga Council. Over the ensuing years he dedicated himself to bring this plan to fruition. He often had to argue and campaign with the Albury-Wodonga Corporation to push for the interests of development in Wodonga. This included winning a planning appeal to allow the saleyards to be relocated to Bandiana on the outskirts of Wodonga. Bill Page retired on health grounds in July 1989. The Council honoured him with a farewell dinner and renamed the saleyards at Bandiana the W.G. Page Saleyards in his honour.The Mayor , Cr Valentina Gillard, said "Every development in Wodonga in the past 24 years has a bit of Bill Page in it". William Page died 3 months later at 58 years old.A bronze forged metal plaque with detailed inscription. Bolts to fix plaque to the wall are still attached.RURAL CITY OF WODONGA / THIS PLAQUE/ COMMEMORATES THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE/ LIVEWEIGHT SELLING FACILITIES AT / THE WODONGA MUNICIPAL SALEYARDS /BY/THE HON. DIGBY CROZIER, M.L.C., / MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT/ ON WEDNESDAY, 4TH MARCH, 1981 CR. H. W, DRAPER, J.P. MAYOR R. I. O'TOOLE TOWN CLERK , CR. I. J. MACAULAY MARKETS CHAIRMAN W. G. PAGE CITY ENGINEERlivestock sales wodonga, liveweight cattle sales, municipal saleyards wondonga

A spiral bound volume presenting articles and information and timelines documenting the history of the Saleyards in Wodonga.This booklet is based on information from the Wodonga & Towong Sentinel newspaper leading up to the construction and opening of the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards in Elgin Street, Wodonga. It then documents key developments until the closure of the yards in 1980. Information on the closing of the yards, the buying and construction of new cattle yards at Bandiana from 1980 -1985 is also included. wodonga municipal saleyards, saleyards bandiana, saleyards elgin street wodonga

Before the construction of the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards which opened in 1935, there were four private saleyards which operated in Wodonga. They were owned by Gippsland & Northern Co-Operative Co. Ltd., Dalgety & Co., New Zealand Loan & Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. and Younghusband Ltd. When Mrs Julia Ronan nee Arundel lost her husband John to tuberculosis in 1906, she quickly decided to move from their small farm into Wodonga with her 3 children. She was granted the lease of the ground she needed to establish her eating house at one shilling per year in a shed on the Dalgety's saleyard block. Two established merchants Albert Schlink and John Whan and butcher Jack Garrett agreed to allow her credit which enabled her to open Ronan's Dining Rooms at the Saleyards. It was often a challenging environment, with drovers, and horse- breakers, auctioneers and bushmen bringing huge mobs of cattle and horses to the saleyards. Stories of the premises include the unexpected arrival in the passage of a lively bullock which finished up on the girls' bed. Mrs Ronan persevered and beat all obstacles to finally move from the saleyards to the Wodonga Coffee Palace in High Street, beside the railway gates in 1921.This item is significant because it captures one of the private saleyards which operated prior to the establishment of the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards.A black and white image of the sale yards at Wodonga c1907 with the dining room operated by Mrs Ronan on the right.Beneath image: View of Wodonga Mrs Ronan's Dining c1907 Wodonga Sale site, Corner Elgin (Melbourne Road) and Smythe Street, replaced by Municipal Saleyards in 1935. Photo: Bob Prentice, Donated by Mrs Val Phefleywodonga saleyards, mrs julia ronan

Mr Arthur Dunstan established a sawmill at Glen Wills in 1931 which operated for about 16 years. A larger and more modern sawmill with drying kilns was erected at Eskdale in 1947. He was contracted to build Wodonga’s municipal saleyards in 1935, followed by the Wangaratta saleyards which created so many forward orders that he bought a large block of land on the corner of Beechworth and Tallangatta Roads and opened a timber mill and hardware store. In 1974 other sawmills opened in Tallangatta Road near Chapple Street to cope with the expanding business. A large proportion of the company’s timber output was processed at the Wodonga yards into flooring, weatherboards, mouldings, and practically the whole output was distributed locally and throughout the Riverina and eastern freeboard of New South Wales, and Canberra. At its peak Dunstan’s was one of the biggest sawmilling businesses in Victoria and in Wodonga employed 150 people and milled 16,000,000 super feet of timber annually. Arthur Dunstan died in 1963 and the business was carried on by his sons Arthur Jr, Jack and Les, together with Reg McDermott and Neil Carr. Dunstan’s timber yards in Wodonga were sold to Ezard Industries in 1987 with the retail section being bought by BBC Hardware. Hardy’s took over the timber yard in 1989 and staff was gradually reduced to 51 by 1991. Processing fell to 1000-1200 tonnes of pine a month by 1992 and Hardy’s, by then part of Pacific Dunlop, finally closed operations in that year with the loss of the remaining 27 jobs. The area where Dunstan’s was located is now known as Southside.A black and white photo of a retail buildinga and workshopOn shopfront: DUNSTAN A & SONS HARDWARE JOINERY & TIMBER MERCHANTS RICKSHAW MAGICOLOR We stock and recommend HARDIES FIBROLITE SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT FINISHESdunstan's hardware wodonga, wodonga businesses, dunstan's timber

This item is an advertising promotion for A Dunstan & Son, timber merchants of Wodonga, Victoria. Mr Arthur Dunstan established a sawmill at Glen Wills in 1931 which operated for about 16 years. A larger and more modern sawmill with drying kilns was erected at Eskdale in 1947. He was contracted to build Wodonga’s municipal saleyards in 1935, followed by the Wangaratta saleyards which created so many forward orders that he bought a large block of land on the corner of Beechworth and Tallangatta Roads and opened a timber mill and hardware store. In 1974 other sawmills opened in Tallangatta Road near Chapple Street to cope with the expanding business. A large proportion of the company’s timber output was processed at the Wodonga yards into flooring, weatherboards, mouldings, and practically the whole output was distributed locally and throughout the Riverina and eastern freeboard of New South Wales, and Canberra. At its peak Dunstan’s was one of the biggest sawmilling businesses in Victoria and in Wodonga employed 150 people and milled 16,000,000 super feet of timber annually. Arthur Dunstan died in 1963 and the business was carried on by his sons Arthur Jr, Jack and Les, together with Reg McDermott and Neil Carr. Dunstan’s timber yards in Wodonga were sold to Ezard Industries in 1987 with the retail section being bought by BBC Hardware. Hardy’s took over the timber yard in 1989 and the staff was gradually reduced to 51 by 1991. Processing fell to 1000-1200 tonnes of pine a month by 1992 and Hardy’s, by then part of Pacific Dunlop, finally closed operations in that year with the loss of the remaining 27 jobs. The area where Dunstan’s was located is now known as Southside.This item is significant because it was designed to promote an important business which operated in Wodonga and the surrounding area for more than 30 years.A photographic image mounted on pressed tin used to promote a Wodonga and district timber merchant.WITH COMPLIMENTS A.DUNSTAN & SONS TIMBER MERCHANTS WODONGA PHONES 158 & 67dunstan's timber, businesses of wodonga

Large numbers of sheep and lambs regularly crossed from New South Wales and Queensland into the Wodonga area for local sale and transit from the 1890s onward. From June 1930 to June 1935 an average per annum of 500,000 sheep and lambs arrived at Wodonga from New South Wales. During the peak of 1931 the number increased by 200,000. Before the construction of the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards which opened in 1935, there were four private saleyards which operated in Wodonga. They were owned by Gippsland & Northern Co-Operative Co. Ltd., Dalgety & Co., New Zealand Loan & Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. and Younghusband Ltd. They were located close to the Wodonga railway station. Sheep and lamb sales at the historic Wodonga saleyards lasted for several decades from the late 19th century. Regular auction sales for sheep and lambs at Wodonga formally stopped in 1947, shifting regional focus to nearby Albury, though livestock transit and trucking continued through the local yards for decades after. The saleyards were relocated to Killara Our Collection includes several photographs signed BONSEMA WODONGA or sometimes simply TBW. Thomas Peter John Bonsema was born in Wodonga in 1876 to Peter John Bonsema and Mary Ann nee Nash. His name first appears on the Electoral Roll for Wodonga in 1909 and on the Electoral Roll in 1912 he is listed as a photographer. His photographs capture many scenes and events around Wodonga and surrounding areas. Thomas Bonsema married Minna Louisa Jones in 1912. By 1914 he had moved to Chiltern, Victoria where he established Bonsema’s Photographic Studio. As well as continuing to photograph landscapes and important buildings, Mr Bonsema was often the official photographer at school and community celebrations. He also sold many framed photographs and postcards from his premises at 68 -70 Conness Street, Chiltern. By 1943 Thomas John Bonsema had relocated to New South Wales and died in Beecroft, NSW on 14th July 1944. Some of his photographs are held in the Victorian State Library and Mitchell Library Sydney Collections.This image is significant because it is the work of a recognised photographer Thomas Bonsema who was born in Wodonga in 1876 and documents the importance of the Wodonga Saleyards.A black and white image of sheep sales held at the Wodonga SaleyardsWritten on fence rail WB Sheep Sales Wodongabonsema photography, thomas peter john bonsema, wodonga saleyards

The Wodonga Hotel was constructed in 1940 at a cost of £10,000. It is now called Elgins Hotel. It was established after the transfer of the licence from the Halfway Hotel. This was the result of a lengthy hearing before the Licensing Board over two days in December 1939, There was some opposition from established guest house keepers and hotelkeepers. G. A. Adams, owner of the Carriers’ Arms Hotel was refused a hearing as he was not a resident, so Rachael Spence his manageress objected on the ground that it would do her hotel a lot of harm. Mr Luke Murphy represented the applicants, Irene Weatherall and Lena Pickering. He stated that the new structure would be of brick, cement and iron and contain 22 rooms. The site was near the municipal sale yard and near the railway station, and, he pointed out the trucking industry, which he believed to be larger than any other in Victoria, outside of Melbourne. The hearing was told of the bad state of the Half Way Hotel, having been there for almost 100 years. Luke Murphy was quoted as saying “If Hovell were here he could give evidence on that.” The lack of accommodation and quality accommodation at Wodonga hotels was frequently heard of. Costa’s Wine Café had very excellent accommodation for but only five or six people. The lessee of the-tea rooms at the municipal saleyards, also gave evidence. Mrs Lowden said that on sale day she served up to 130 dinners in addition to 10 or 20 breakfasts, and almost continuous light lunches. She did not think a hotel would provide a needed facility for patrons of the saleyards. In April 1940 the application was granted on the condition that premises were erected within 42 weeks. The hotel was used for soldier accommodation during World War II and experienced a boom period when Wodonga saleyards were located across the road. Irene House behind the pub also was constructed in the 1970s when Albury-Wodonga had been identified as a National Growth Centre by the Whitlam Labor government. After running the hotel for 5 generations, the Weatherall Family sold the business in 2021.These images represent an early business in Wodonga . 2 photos of the Wodonga Hotel and 1 newspaper advertisementwodonga businesses, a. e. costa, wodonga pioneers, early wodonga businesses, wodonga businesses high street

An A4 sized publication which has been spiral bound and has a laminated cover. It contains transcripts from a presentation night,This booklet includes information about the establishment and role of the Municipal Saleyards in Wodonga. The booklet was produced as part of the celebration of the Saleyards conducted by the Wodonga Historical Society. It recognises the significant role played by William George Page who was Shire and City Engineer in Wodonga from 1965 until 1989 and fought to have these saleyards established.municipal saleyards wodonga, w. g. page saleyards

An A4 sized spiral bound publication with laminated front cover. It includes 43 pages of articles, photos and typed transcripts. A compilation of presentations made by guest speakers at a function held by the Wodonga Historical Society on 6th May 1998 at the Wodonga Football Club. Speakers included a range of people who had a connection with the Wodonga Municipal Saleyards between 1935 and 1980 including planners, staff, stock and station agents and stockment. A summary table of market sales is also included.wodonga saleyards, stockmen in wodonga, wodonga historical society

non-fictionBuilt in 1935, the saleyards in Wodonga catered for cattle, sheep, horses, and pigs and were the site of the second largest one-day sale of cattle in Australia. Prior to the establishment of the municipal saleyards there were 4 privately owned sets of saleyards in Wodonga. In 1925 Mr. Robert Richardson was elected to the Wodonga Shire Council and immediately proposed that the Council should establish new saleyards to replace existing, outdated facilities. Initially there was a lack of support and strong opposition from the private owners. It was not until Mr. Richardson was elected President of the Shire in 1933 that progress was made. They were eventually opened in October 1935 and played a pivotal role in primary industry in the area. This book tells their story.saleyards wodonga, livestock sales, primary industry victoria