It was 1968, pre-Gremlins days, when Stanthorpe Rugby League beat the odds to win their very first under 18’s premiership in the Warwick and District competition on 7 September, and a major water crisis took place when the pipe line from Storm King Dam broke.
The year ended with a damaging hail storm right before Christmas day.
1968
January 2
• Water Supply for Applethorpe Stanthorpe Shire Council is to investigate a proposal to supply water to Applethorpe
• Saleyards in Stanthorpe Council is to seek views of stock agents on establishing saleyards in town.
• Fire Brigade Board Hoses have pinholes
January 4
• Water Crisis: Break in Pipe Line Break in pipe line from Storm King Dam caused a water crisis
January 9
• Obituary: William Munson
• Cannery Proposal: Meeting at Dalveen January 11
• Mr. Eric Eggleton Resigns (Ambulance Brigade) Lawson & Co Sold To Australian Estates Company Ltd
January 18
• Council Buys Rex Theatre
January 23
• Air Service To Stanthorpe
January 25
Obituary:
• Margaret Cran
January 30
•First Darling Downs and Stanthorpe District Tourist Seminar Will be held
February 8
• Dalveen Meeting:
• Cannery for Stanthorpe discussed
February 13
• Stanthorpe Shire Statistics
February 20
• Decision Not to Buy: Chain Store and Granite Belt Jonathans Topping of fruit to such an extent that Woolworths will not buy it. Inspector needed on the Granite Belt to spot check loadings (Gow).
February 22
• Council Approves Loan for Swimming Pool Cost $120,000; Loan $60,000; Subsidy $30,000; $20,000 public subscription.
February 27
• No Air Service to Stanthorpe
• Max McMahon in Hospital President of Apple and Grape taken on by E.G. Reeves
• DSGC Seeks Talks Over Fruit Ban
DSGC & Council meet – Water Conservation on the Granite Belt out of 300
February 29
• Early Years of Southern Granite Belt By Sid Smith
• Pierpoints – Nearly 100 years of service to district
• Expansion of Air Taxi Service
• Checks on Stanthorpe Apples DPI Inspectors conduct snap inspections on thousands of cases of fruit. growers whose fruit was inspected, 76 did not make the grade.
March 5
• Obituary: Cec Moore
March 14
• Manahans New Store Opened Darling Downs Tourist Seminar
• Stanthorpe Pistol Club – the formation of a Stanthorpe Pistol Club is expected in the near future
March 19
• Obit: K.M. Hodgson
April 4
• Swimming Pool (Letter to the Editor)
April 9
• Obituary: Elizabeth Mary Spiller
April 16
• Stanthorpe State High School Home Science Block Opening
April 23
• Won Military medal: David John Haynes Bravery in Vietnam
May 7
• Council decisions: Olympic Pool for Stanthorpe
May 9
• Government Acts: Pikes Creek Dam
May 14
• Obituary: Colin R. Rogerson May 16
• Snow Falls in May – Coldest May Day in 46 years May 23
• Pole sit for swimming pool May 30
• Vale Fred Jobst – A Gentle Man June 11
• Use of Rex Hall: Proposed Youth Camp at Storm King Dam
• Tribute to F.A. Jobst
June 13
• Obituary:
F.A. Jobst
June 18
• Youth Week in Stanthorpe
Not Interested; No Air Services to Stanthorpe
July 2
• Last Day at Liston School
Opening Lions Rest Area, The Summit
July 9
• Farewell to Liston School Teacher
• Federal Aid Sought: Pikes Creek Dam
July 18
• Youth Camp at Storm King Dam National Fitness representatives have expressed strong support for the proposal
July 23
• Walkathon for Swimming Pool
Obituary: Herbert Fischer Reimers
August 6
• Cec Mann & Co enlarged premises
August 22
• The late Alf Barlow (letters)
• Michael Bathersby admitted as Solicitor
August 27
• Retiring this week: Mr. B. Flewell Smith Kangaroos on Golf Course
• What is Pole Sit Week Pierpoints used car yard, terminates with a pole sit dance; 5¢ for every pair of trousers cleaned by Perfect Dry Cleaners.
September 3
• 25th Battalion – Presentation of Colours
Chalet for Children In operation Wallangarra Road for 5 years
• Pioneers of Cold Storage
• Obituary: Archie Rae
• Pole Sit Progress Victor Greenup has offered a prize ram to auction; Dick Burton has offer 5¢ for every haircut at the Red Lion. Cec Mann’s brain child. Advertising space on the pole available for a small fee.
September 5
• Apex Club Change-over – $1000 for Swimming Pool
September 10
• Youth Centre at Storm King Dam
Raising Funds for Swimming Pool – $1400 for Basketball Association
September 12
• Croston Studios Sold to Geoff Rayner
New Block for Stanthorpe Hospital – X-Ray Block
September 17
Obituary:
• Ernie Hopgood (Cricketer)
September 19
• Stanthorpe & District Choral Society presents “Oklahoma“ Peter Bondfield as Curly, Isobella Pappagallo as Laurey, Bruno Zanatta and Marjorie Yarrow
September 24
• Pole Sit Week a Spectacular Start Stanthorpe Shire War Memorial Olympic Pool Building Committee. Started at 9 am. by 9 pm has raised $1000. 198 donations – average $6 per donor. 9 pm Monday $2676. Bids on rams asked to ring after 9.30 pm at night to avoid clash with ringing up on day and keep night shift awake. BDF Emporium offered $5 on any major appliance. Trip for two to New Zealand to be won.
September 26
• Pool Funds Grow – $3580 ($4100 raised by Pole Sit Fund) Pool Fund now $17,500
October 3
• Little Change of Reprieve Texas Limestone Caves to be inundated by dam
• Site of Swimming Pool Lower part of park rather than upper favoured
October 10
• Grant of $2500 for National Fitness Club
October 15
Obituary:
• Ian Howard
October 22
Obituary:
• Walter Gunn
October 24
• Council opposed: Pikes Creek Dam Economically unfair to the rest of the state Devil’s Elbow Again In one year, 7 trailer accidents, $50,000 damage
October 29
• Youth Camp at the Dam Cr. Rogers reports on plan to move Rex Hall
October 31
• Severnlea State School Jubilee
November 5
• NSW/Qld Border Rivers Agreement Signed
November 7
• Pikes Creek Dam and Glenlyon Caves
• Miss Pratt Granite Belt Open Golf Champion
November 12
• Hail Storm
Creates Havoc at Omanama
November 12
Obituary:
• Les Atkins
November 14
• Neil O’Connor, Six Catches
November 19
• Severnlea State School Jubilee
November 21
• Stanthorpe Shire Statistics.
Obituary: Viv Barker
Early History of Severnlea
November 28
• Swimming Pool Approved
December 24
• Damaging Hail Storm