Snapshot of the past

Mawarra Opportunity Shop at 40 Palmerston St, Warragul in April 1971.

A blackboard listing specials and wanted items can be seen in the front window. Items include summer frocks for 25 cents and hats for 20 cents whilst a Singer sewing machine is on offer for $10.

This shop was built by the Apex clubs of Drouin, Trafalgar and Warragul in 1966/67 to guarantee a place for the volunteers who raised money for Mawarra.

The op shop started in 1960 and traded out of a variety of premises, including the VRI Hall, before the Palmerston St shop was built to offer a permanent premise to trade in.

The land was purchased by Mawarra and the building was constructed by the three Apex clubs, with most of the materials being donated or purchased for a greatly discounted price. It opened in 1967. Mawarra Centre recently announced the building would be sold on a lease back basis. The auction is set for Friday.

Photograph and information courtesy of the Warragul and District Historical Society. The society’s museum at the Old Shire Hall in Warragul displays a range of historical photographs.

It is open every Thursday between 10am and 2pm and the second and fourth Sunday of each month between 2pm and 4pm.

If you have any additional information about this photograph, please contact The Gazette on 5623 5666 or editorial@warragulgazette.com.au.

Nilma North resident Terry Elston has identified the excavator captured in last week’s snapshot of ornamental ponds being constructed in Civic Park, Warragul c.1969.

He said the Kato excavator belonged to his father, John Elston of Warragul, who had an earth moving business and was a subcontractor for the shire.

He owned the only excavator in Gippsland at the time.

Terry, who was only 12-years-old when the Civic Park works were undertaken, has followed his father into the machinery trade and still has excavators.