Looking Back September 2026

By Leo Billington

Les Hare stories from Morwell’s heydeys

In its edition on Wednesday July 12, 1950, there was extensive editorial in the Weekly Times about “big changes at Morwell”.

As reported “The transformation of Morwell, Gippsland, Victorian mining and farming centre, into a great industrial town has started. Nearly 600 men, aided by huge modern machines, are tearing out green pastures to make way for the brown coal open cut, briquetting factories, railways and roads, and sites for hundreds of new homes”.

There were photographs of new housing estates glamourising what was coming.

The Argus in December 18, 1947 editorial, reported the Victorian Housing Commission had purchased 200 house sites in Moe, and 32 sites in Morwell with building plans “directly related to decentralisation or expansion of industry.” The Traralgon estate was predicted to eventually contain 300 houses. A plan for a modern town was highlighted.

For a young Les Hare, Morwell during the mid-1900’s was a mecca waiting for business development, and, as described in the August 2026 edition of this newspaper, Les was “quick off the mark”.

As previously written, Les Hare was once described as a major part of Morwell’s development. His success in business is one-half of a remarkable life. The other half, tells a massive contribution to Morwell’s wider community,

For Les, an early foray into Morwell’s business circle was as a director of Morwell Investments Pty Ltd, leading discussions about how to erect more houses “at an early date with a view to assisting in supplying more houses in Morwell.” (Morwell Advertiser, Thursday September 1, 1938). He was successful in obtaining a second-hand dealers’ licence late in December 1938 and he was Morwell Shire President by December 21, 1938 at age 54 years.

He was first elected to Council on Thursday August 28, 1930. At this time, Morwell’s Second Council comprised four ridings - Morwell, Yinnar, Boolarra and Hazelwood. Les remained as one of various representatives of the Morwell Riding between 1930 to 1949. After then, he was representative from 1949 to 1966, in Morwell’s Third Council East Ward. Other wards were West, Central, and South.

Les retained his political “fire” when in an October 21, 1953 Morwell Council meeting, his outburst was timely:

“If the State Electricity Commission cannot find enough funds to carry on the work at the Morwell Project, it should be sold to such private interests as could give a satisfactory undertaking to develop it. Councillor Hare said that it appeared that the governments were duck shoving. We have had public meetings, but the tax payer’s money is in equipment which is deteriorating to the extent of millions of pounds.

If the State Government is not going to develop, it should sell to private interests. Are black coal interests holding up the works in Morwell?”

(The background to this outburst was local widespread frustration to delays in developing Morwell’s open cut, power station and briquette factory. A call for private sector management was quite revolutionary back then.)

This period was instrumental for Morwell’s development, it was a turning point. As written by the Weekly Times in 1950, “huge modern machines, are tearing out green pastures”. Councillor Hare was beating a drum, often coming up against the then Morwell Shire Council President, D J White.

Les was instrumental in negotiating that the State Electricity Commission pay £391 for thee construction of a road, known as Black Bob’s Lane, to link Nadenbousch’s Road to the Midland Highway, basically along the southern boundary of Hazelwood Cemetery. (Morwell Advertiser, Thursday October 22, 1953).

Being such a prominent personality, Les received plenty of mail suggesting what he (and Council) should do. An example was from a dissatisfied “Morwellite” printed on Thursday September 20,1945:

“You know Morwell is a great town and you have done a tremendous lot for it in the town and, like all public men, got little thanks for your effort. But no one ever does, so why worry!

However, Les, it is the future of this great district that I am worrying over. Everyone appears to be scrapping like the proverbial Kilkenny cats, whilst in your sister town, the Greater Traralgon Advancement League is well and truly on the job. If a more co-operative spirit is not shown in our district, poor old Morwell may be left out in the cold".

On Friday January 17, 1958, Les together with fellow Councillor Alf Ronald, attended a meeting of 11 West Gippsland municipalities at Warragul. Speaking as Morwell Shire Council President, Les suggested a site be found at Trafalgar for Victoria’s proposed second university. He told delegates a 50-acre site would be required. His idea was then referred to the Gippsland Municipal Association at their next meeting scheduled for mid-February.

We know his trip to Warragul disturbed bureaucrats in Melbourne’s establishment. Think about if a university campus was built in Trafalgar; it was being quite a maverick idea 68 years ago.

Not being comfortable with vague proposals to build a new post office on Morwell’s north-side, Les pushed hard to obtain plans for what was to happen at the old site, which was to become vacant. He did not want Morwell pushed around. (Morwell Advertiser Thursday October 6, 1949).

As Shire President, Les assured Courtalds, English rayon manufacturer, in early August 1948 that “Council would go the limit in extending co-operation in the event of a favourable location being found.”

Space has run out. To summarise Les’ achievements:

• Was a Justice of the Peace by 1935.
• Was a volunteer with Morwell Fire Brigade 1915.
• Was Morwell Water Trust Chairperson 1940.
• Was once President of the Morwell Football Club 1940’s.
• Was once treasurer of the Morwell Bowling Club.
• Was President, Central Gippsland Football League, elected March 2, 1952.
• Chaired Morwell’s Coronation day celebrations in May 1953.
• Was Appointed Morwell Shire Council permanent representative to Housing Commission Victoria.
• Was committee representative on the Morwell Agricultural Society 1950, 1952