General News
23 September, 2025
UNAVOIDABLE CHANGE IN A MULTINATIONAL WORLD
Arriving in Maryborough in 1965 aged 21, I was surprised to find out that the city was (per head of population) the most industrialised city in Australia. Sadly, this is no longer the case.
The name “Phelan” was predominant. Bill, the member for Kara Kara, was among the most prominent citizens.
Apart from his political duties, Phelans’ was a major enterprise in the district. At his converted aeroplane hangar, his team created cheap housing.
The houses were constructed in two halves and transported to their site by truck. A waiting team of tradesmen assembled the house and fitted it out. The carpentry, plumbing, electrical work and joinery were completed.
A local team of salesmen sold houses all over Victoria and across the border.
A hardware and building supplies outlet on the present Woolworths site was destroyed by fire; and a dwindling market share and change in people’s tastes saw an end to the company.
John Stewart and his late wife Jill ran the funeral directors. The business is now run by their son, Jono. Cliff Phelan, Bill’s brother, had established the business.
While boarding at Mrs Harling’s, I saw the Knitting Mill bursting at the seams with activity. A large staff (over 500) were flat out. Its products were highly prized, especially my dad’s must-have silk singlets.
Mrs H, a delightful soul, was most concerned that if the Japanese bombed Maryborough, the Mill would be their first target.
After being taken over by Jockey, the Mill closed down. It is now occupied by the Coles complex. The boiler room chimney still stands as a reminder of what once was.
Cheap labour made us uncompetitive.
Patience & Nicholson still survives, but is a shadow of its former self, once being a world leader in its field.
It found competition from Japan and Germany that was overwhelming. At a world trade exhibition, their drills could drill inside our finest drills.
Victorian Railways had a huge gang of workers involved in rail maintenance that stretched all the way along the Mildura line. Its headquarters were local.
The turntable — located at Dellavedova’s Pivot, a vital provider of fertiliser — allowed the large diesel prime movers to be turned around, but the invention of reversible engines made it redundant.
I have already mentioned the demise of the local pub in other editorial installments. As far as accommodation goes, motels have become a convenient replacement.
The first class facilities of the Bull & Mouth, the Highland Society and the Golf Club, together with the take-aways, have filled the catering needs.
As in Banjo Paterson’s poem, local men (codgers) sat around idly in the barber’s solving the world’s problems. Those without beards would have a weekly shave with the “cut-throat” razor.
At one stage, the city centre boasted a number of male barbers. These shops were the domain of the male.
Today the industry has been taken over by the ladies. High Street is dominated by them. At present there are nine outlets plus innumerable home businesses.
Large national conglomerates have taken over the butter factory, the flour mill, the wire-works, the abattoirs and the fish and poultry wholesalers, to name a few.
I once stood fascinated in the front of Lucas’ store as the salesperson sent the payment to the elevated cashier via a cable. It reminded me of the Swiss Alps.
Wool and woollen products were much in demand. Most young ladies were very proficient in knitting. Shops supplying the requisites for knitting were very popular, as were the patterns for pullovers, scarfs, baby clothes, socks and anything else the mind could imagine.
Most girls were taught dress-making by their mothers and grand mothers, and were highly proficient on the Singer sewing machine.
All the retailers servicing these needs — such as Lucas’, Liston’s and Beauweavels — closed as the “ready made” goods became cheap and accessible.
Unfortunately, so did the younger generation’s skills.
Licensed grocers run by the Trainor brothers and Thomas’ were lucrative businesses that featured home delivery, but the change in the Liquor Licensing Act spelled a sudden collapse of trade.
The big supermarkets became dominant overnight.
Cobblers and shoe-repairers, once vital, disappeared with the emergence of cheap and irrepairable footwear.
Unfortunately, the “disposable society” is here to stay.