Flashback 1990

School at Jumbunna

When I arrived at school I got the shock of my life. There were only about 15 other students attending. There was only one portable building and a toilet with no roof. That day I became friends with a boy called Jeremy who was the son of the teacher. We were the only children in grade three, so we had to sit and work together.

When the bell rang, which was a cow bell, I had to wait under a large pine tree for the bus to pick me up. After a year at Jumbunna I moved to Churchill North Primary.

Coming soon!

If you are in between Grades 2 and 6, and you have absolutely nothing to do on Wednesday afternoons, then this is a Kid’s Klub for you!

Who? What? Where? When, How? Do I hear you ask?

It is on at the Co-Operating Church in Churchill. Some of the things we will be doing are singing, playing games, cooking, craft, art, concerts and much more.

New school at Hazelwood North

Hazelwood North Primary is reputed to be the largest rural school in the state that is not serviced by a town.

Three kilometres from the present school is an area of rolling farm land now inhabited largely by cattle. In the very near future, it is hoped that in the paddock bordering Jeeralang North road, the brand new Hazelwood North School will become a reality.

Double disco at Churchill

Who is running the program? The discos are co-ordinated and supervised by Morwell and District YMCA staff and volunteers, and were made possible with a grant from “Rage without Alcohol.”

Now a University Town

In July 1990 the Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education becomes Monash University College Gippsland and Churchill becomes a university town.

How would you like Churchill to develop?

The visionaries of the 1960’s who saw Churchill as a city of 40,000 people will have been proved right even though their timing was a little out.

The future of Churchill is in our hands, how should we shape it?

First Hazelwood brownie pack

Our theme was Keep Fit and Healthy as the Pack had decided to work for the 1990 Keep Fit Challenge badge. We are also beginning to work on the Literacy badge.

Churchill in the 1990’s

Many services in Churchill have always been inadequate. Various surveys have highlighted numerous areas of inadequacy. Of particular concern in the early days was the lack of doctors, busses, a hotel, a public hall and various shops.

Many gaps have been filled but public transport and inadequate shopping facilities still remain as Churchill enters its’ fourth decade.

There are now fewer shops than in 1967. It had been hoped that the sale of the shopping centre to private enterprise last year might herald renewed development. Alas, the amenity had deteriorated with poor cleaning and maintenance. Talk of building more shops and providing a larger food store by the new owner has not developed further.

Willing hands to plant trees

The Ranger and the Friends of Morwell National Park are having a tree planting day in July and would welcome anyone who can assist with planting 1500 trees in the park.

Last chance Deb Ball

The Churchill Football Club Ladies committee organised a Last Chance Deb Ball as a fund raising event.

Eight couples made their Debut being presented to the Official Party consisting of Mr and Mrs Eric Rowley, Mr and Mrs Bob Lambden with Mike Answerth as Master of Ceremonies.

Young Town, Great Potential

Here is an update on plans for celebrating Churchill’s 25th Anniversary later this year.

Additions to the programme: Lumen Christi fete, Kurnai Churchill musical, Glendonald tree planting, Commemorative wall, Historical display, and a Grand Parade in town with Morwell Citizens Band, our Fire Brigade and more. Watch the Churchill News for more details, but start planning to have your group in the parade.

“Hello” from Alaska

Lumen Christi school engaged in an exciting teacher exchange program this year. The School principal, Mr Michael Dyson and family, set off for Alaska. Meanwhile Mr Bart Harmerling and family from Alaska settled in Churchill.

Senior citizens village

A public meeting will be called early in 1991 to establish a Senior Citizens Development Committee.

It is proposed that a Senior Citizens Village be developed at Churchill, comprising a number of low income public housing units and some donor units, a 38 bed hostel and a multipurpose Senior Citizens Centre which would fulfil a wide range of needs.

Making a home in Churchill

This was our first home in Australia, having just arrived from England 15 days earlier. Needless to say everything was strange to us, and not knowing anyone here in Churchill could have made matters worse, however our neighbours made us welcome and helped in every way

Across the Editor’s desk

Well here we have the first ever, 24 page edition of the Churchill News. What an achievement that was! The Churchill News began in May 1966 as a single sheet of quarto paper. By the end of March in 1966 a grand total of 10 families were in residence at Churchill.