Historical information
These Wodonga photos are part of a collection donated by Miss Olive Codling.
Arthur Dunstan
Arthur Dunstan established mills at Red Bluff on the Mitta and a timber yard at Wodonga. He also built 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 sale yards in 1935, followed by the Wangaratta sale yards. This 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. The business stood on this corner for about 40 years.
A large proportion of the company's timber output was processed at the Wodonga yards into flooring, weatherboards, mouldings etc. and practically the whole output was distributed locally and throughout the Riverina and eastern areas 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 l6,000,000 super feet of timber annually. A super foot is a measurement for timber, equal to one foot square by one inch thick.
Arthur Dunstan also built Tower Place in High Street. He died in Wodonga in 1963 and the business was continued on by his sons. Dunstan’s timber yards in Wodonga were sold to Ezerd Industries in 1987 with the retail section being bought by BBC Hardware.
Significance
This photo collection is significant as it documents how the businesses and buildings in Wodonga have evolved and contributed to community throughout the 20th century.
Physical description
The first business at this location was a timber will and hardware store established by Arthur Dunstan in 1935. It operated there for about 40 years.
Businesses from left to right: Dry Cleaner, Delicatessen, Twin Cities Fruit & Vege Market, Ollies Family Restaurant, Victoria Star Hot Bread Kitchen, Trophies and Gifts, and Horseland. This area is not referred to as Southside and the former Horseland premises are not occupied by an Italian restaurant.
