How they made sure Wonthaggi wasn’t ‘history’

THE Wonthaggi and District Historical Society has an interesting session coming up at their monthly meeting next Thursday, June 16 when they have a guest speaker talking about “greengrocers and family businesses” in the town.

When the State Coal Mine closed here in 1968, many people literally thought the town itself “was history” and certainly it went through a long period of malaise, with high unemployment and a depressed economy.

But many family business operators hung tough and have come out the other side, with strong businesses, trading in the best commercial town in the region.

Who would have thought it!

The guest speaker at the historical society’s meeting on Thursday, June 16 at 7.00pm, at the Railway Station Museum, will be Vince Chizzoniti. His talk will take those who attend back to the time when “greengrocers and family businesses” dominated the scene in Wonthaggi.

And while some of them remain today, it brings to mind all those old business names and the families associated with the green grocers, butcher shops, and other specialty shops like the Melbourne Furnishing Company and Wrench’s Footwear still operating here.

It’s a source of great family pride that fourth generation retailer Talia Abraham still runs Melbourne Furnishing Company in Graham Street today.

And at Wrench’s Footwear, Carl Lindsay, the present operator continued on from his brother Brian who worked for the Wrench family.

There’s the Taberner family connection with the Wonthaggi ‘Whalebones’ Hotel since its inception in 1915, and all the great history that has passed in and out those doors.

And lots of other businesses that continue to operate under their original names, with or without the family connection including:

• South Gippsland Motors - Run by three generations of the Huther family since 1940
• Hicksborough Store for 90+ years
• Wonthaggi Workmen’s Club - Est 1911
• Wonthaggi Hotel (Whalebones) - Est 1915
• Sentinel - Est 1910
• Melbourne Furnishing Co - Est 1910
• Wonthaggi MFS Dispensary – Ext 1922
• Alex Scott & Staff
• Coldon Homes

And many more. The historical society night should provide plenty of food for thought. All welcome.