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First meeting of the Bolton Park Bowling Club was held on 27 August 1928 at the Wagga Hotel. The name of the club was changed to the South Wagga Bowling Club at a special general meeting on 10 October 1940. The clubhouse was located at 11 Fitzhardinge Street. It was built in May 1957, with a second section opened in March 1965 and a third stage completed in June 1976. Aub Loch had one of the two bowling greens named after him in 1996. The other green was named after Dr Benjamin. The club enterted into voluntary administration in 2008 and closed in about 2012.

Founded in 1865, the Murrumbidgee Pastoral Association amalgamated with the Agricultural and Horticultural Association to form the Pastoral and Agricultural Association. Renamed the Wagga Wagga Show Society in 1961, it ran the Night Trotting Control Board until 1978.

The Wagga Wagga Show Society, which operated originally under the title Murrumbidgee Pastoral Association, had humble beginnings comprising of a few district squatters and townsmen. Mr W. O. Windeyer from Wantabadgery had the honour of serving as first President of the Association, while Henry Baylis acted as first Secretary. The inaugural Wagga Wagga Show organised by the Association was held on Wagga Wagga Racecourse on 21 November 1865. The Show catered mainly for cattle, sheep and horse exhibitions and awarded prizes in categories relating to thoroughbred horses, draught horses, Shorthorns, Herefords, merinos and extra stock. For many years the Wagga Wagga Show continued to function primarily for pastoralists, becoming one of the leading and oldest sheep shows in Australia.

In 1874, the Murrumbidgee Pastoral Association was the centre of controversy at the Association's Show dinner, when Wagga Wagga's Police Magistrate, Henry Baylis, made a rather unamiable comment about the integrity of the local press, causing the editor of the Wagga Wagga Express, G. A. Eldred, to storm out in protest. The Wagga Wagga Advertiser, on the 5 September 1874, questioned Baylis's tact, stating that "it was not exactly the place for the introduction of self-interested statements". The paper continued rather sarcastically that, according to Baylis, "reporting was a farce, and was either good or bad according to the amount of exhilarating liquor swilled by the reporter". Notwithstanding, the Association continued on relatively unscathed as Baylis stood his ground over the matter.

The Association broadened its focus in 1884 and changed its name to the Murrumbidgee Pastoral and Agricultural Association. The following year the Association purchased land at the present showground site and relocated the pavilion, poultry halls, press and telegraph offices and grandstand from the racecourse. For a number of years, the Association continued to provide encouragement to the developing pastoral, agricultural, horticultural and industrial sectors. Attendance numbers at the show have always been impressive, with up to 18 000 visitors entering the grounds during its Diamond Jubilee year in 1925. In conjunction with show days, special trains were organised to commute visitors from all over the Riverina and Murray regions to the showgrounds. During 1961, the Murrumbidgee Pastoral and Agricultural Association changed its name again to the present Wagga Wagga Show Society.

The Wagga Wagga Show has developed to become one of the main attractions in the city each year. Although the agricultural theme is still prevalent, the Show offers a variety of exhibits and stalls relating to arts and crafts, food and community information, not to mention the allure of amusement rides in sideshow alley. The fireworks display and crowning and Miss Wagga Wagga Showgirl have always been crowd pleasers. The Wagga Wagga Show Society collection also contains records of the Wagga Show Trotting Club and Night Trotting Control Board, as well as records from the NSW Branch of the Australian Society of Breeders of British Sheep.

Compiled by : James Logan.

Sources : Swan, Keith J., A History of Wagga Wagga. City of Wagga Wagga, 1970; Daily Express Pictorial, Under the Camera - Wagga Wagga - Trade Centre of Southern New South Wales, 1926; MPAA Minute Books, 1869-1947, RW201, CSURA; Wagga Wagga Advertiser, 1874.

The Hay Athenæum was, without doubt, the centre of literature and the arts in Hay in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its contribution to the 'mental' stimulus of the township was quite significant, to say the least. The Hay Athenæum Committee first met at The Riverina Grazier office on 15 November 1875. The inaugural meeting, chaired by a Mr Andrew, discussed the feasibility of erecting a temporary building to house the institution and commence operation. For a number of years Committee members lobbied the New South Wales Government to make available the building of the Hay Court House for the expanding Athenæum, in exchange for land which was occupied by the institution at that time. In 1888 a Bill was passed successfully through parliament authorising the exchange, and in April the following year the Committee took possession of the court house.

Over many years the Athenæum staged various social and cultural gatherings and provided educational material on a number of subjects. Facilities at the Athenæum were also made available for other community groups, including the Benevolent Society, Red Cross and Girl Guides. The Athenæum built up a rather modest library collection to cater for the town's reading interests, although the library was only a part of its overall functioning. For several years, Committee members were concerned about the meagre support the institution was receiving from its citizens. As the Committee pointed out in its 1884 Annual Report, members were encouraged to contribute to furthering the Athenæum's aims, rather than viewing it as 'a mere circulating library'. In an attempt to attract new and younger members, the Athenæum changed its direction by opening up a billiard room on 6 May 1911.

Whilst early organisers had egalitarian intentions, management of the Athenæum later became politicised. Subscription costs were capped in order to ensure that everyone had access to the facilities. However, those able to pay larger subscription fees were given voting rights and a place on the committee. In 1895, Committee member Mr F. J. Clancy argued that, because members could not pay the higher subscription fee, there was no reason why they should be denied full voting rights. He argued that working class men should have equal access in deciding the direction of the Athenæum. The Committee had always prided itself on setting the tone for intellectual and moral development in the region, however as Clancy highlighted, the institution at times risked alienating those who it initially wished to serve.

In 1947, the Hay Municipal Council adopted a recommendation from a library sub-committee to amalgamate the library of the Athenæum with the Council's library and transfer the Athenæum building to the Council. Two years later, the reconstituted Hay Municipal Library was fully functional with the new Committee of the Hay Municipal Public Library holding its inaugural meeting on 24 March. One cannot help feel a sense of irony about the Athenæum's demise. The pioneers of the Athenæum envisioned a broader cultural role for the institution, yet the only tangible legacy left by the Athenæum that was still in use was its library collection.

Compiled by : James Logan and Troy Whitford.

Sources : The Hay Athenæum Minute Books, 1875-1958, RW610, CSURA.

To understand why the Riverina Community for Nuclear Disarmament was established and active in 1982-84, we must apply a certain degree of historicism to the period. Until the Regan Administration came to office in the United States in 1980, the cold war had entered into a period of detente. The aggressive foreign policy of the Regan administration only had the consequence of renewing cold war tensions. By the mid-1980s, the nuclear arms race had reached staggering and dangerous proportions, as weapons capable of world wide destruction were manufactured at an incredible rate. Australia's contribution to the cold war included military installations, such as Pine Gap, and permission for US warships to enter our ports armed with nuclear weapons. Whilst the Australian Government saw this as a means to insure protection in this region, and an opportunity to cut spending on its own defence needs, it put the nation on a Soviet list of possible nuclear targets. Whether the Australian people liked it or not, they were part of the nuclear cold war.

The early 1980's nuclear disarmament movement was a major political issue, with grass roots community activism driving much of the protest over Australia's role in the cold war. Across local municipalities and regions throughout Australia, the idea of 'nuclear-free zones' was actively encouraged and advocated. While the 'nuclear-free zone' plan was embraced readily across the inner suburbs of Sydney, lobbying in the Riverina wasn't that successful. In 1982, the Riverina Community for Nuclear Disarmament asked State MP, Joe Shipp, to support the proposal of a 'nuclear-free zone' for the Riverina. Uncertain of the implications of such a move, he replied "I'll sit on the fence on that one for a while" (Riverina Leader, 5 May 1982, p. 11).

From the documents in the collection, held at the Regional Archives, it appears that the Riverina Community for Nuclear Disarmament group was particularly strong with educational campaigns. Activities organised included film nights designed to create an awareness of the drastic effects of a nuclear war. In 1983, the Riverina Community for Nuclear Disarmament fell into conflict with the Wagga Wagga sub-branch of the RSL for displaying anti-nuclear information on the notice board at the community library. The then sub-branch president argued that the poster and article on display were "lampooning two of Australia's dearest allies, England and the United States"(The Daily Advertiser, 23 August 1983, p. 9).

What is unique about the Regional Archives' collection is that it represents not only the establishment and work of the Riverina Community for Nuclear Disarmament, but the divisions within a community and nation caught up in the cold war.

Compiled by : Troy Whitford.

Sources : Riverina Leader, 5 May 1982; The Daily Advertiser, 23 August 1983 (RW855).

Riverina Theatre Company (also known as the RTC) was established in 1976 as the Riverina Trucking Company. It changed its name to the Riverina Theatre Company in 1983. On 17 March 2009, the board members of the Riverina Theatre Company decided to place the RTC into liquidation.

The Australian Society of Soil Science was established in 1955 in Melbourne with their stated objectives being "the advancement of soil science and studies therein with particular reference to Australia", and "to provide a link between soil scientists and kindred bodies within Australia and between them and other similar organisations in other countries."

7 years later, the Riverina Branch was established in 1962.

Today, the Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated, known as Soil Science Australia is a not-for-profit, professional association for people interested in the responsible management of Australia’s soil resources. Members work in government departments, research organisations, universities and private enterprise and reside across Australia and overseas. It is a member of the International Union of Soil Sciences.

The Federal Council of the Society coordinates and oversees the federation of seven branches. Each branch has its own committee responsible for organising local educational, professional development and networking events.

The Wagga Wagga Shakespeare Club, founded in 1904, is the longest continuously active Shakespearean reading group in the world. They began as the Calliope Club in 1904 with their main purpose being to read, learn about, and appreciate the works of William Shakespeare.

On 23 November 1921, Dixieland, “Wagga’s Premier Rendezvous of Joy,” opened to the public at the City Concert Band’s Beach Carnival. Dixieland was a jazz hall and entertainment venue, located at the end of Little Gurwood Street (now Sturt Street), with a dancefloor that floated atop the Murrumbidgee River. During the illustrious Jazz Age (1920-1933), Wagga residents flocked to the riverbank to enjoy a wide range of recreational delights and dance the night away. The popular dance spot, turned commercial venue in 1923, was directed, maintained and often entertained by the Wagga Brass Band.

The Brass Band consisted of local musicians and a committee that liaised with Wagga Municipal Council and visiting performers. For a time, the Brass Band was subsidised by the local Council to perform at charity events for local entities including the hospital, ambulance service and Wagga Grammar School. Also, they were the official band of the War Service Committee. They played WWI soldiers out of Wagga upon deployment and back into Sydney on their return. In addition to their Council subsidy, the band’s other sources of funding were donations and entry fees from Dixieland patrons. These funds helped pay for uniforms, instruments and a fee for a professional band director.

The local band and entertainment scene were integral to the community’s livelihood during the roaring twenties. Dixieland was only a part of Wagga’s active nightlife; other venues included Wonderland Theatre/Café, the Masonic Hall (later known as the Oxford Theatre), The Strand picture theatre and Dixieland Roller-skating Palais. These proved popular with their exciting programmes; for example, Dixieland’s highest recorded attendance was 2,300, in 1929. The entertainment at Dixieland ranged from competitive activities (i.e. euchre tournaments and dancing competitions) and successful efforts to smash world records to jazz acts and vaudeville performances. Wagga residents and visiting tourists enjoyed the talents of saxophonist RJ Homann, Long Tack Sam and Wee Billy Kerr. Additionally, visiting rugby clubs, cricketers and, in 1925, members of the US fleet were brought to the jazz hall and treated to local acts: the Lyric Orchestra, Wagga Melody Makers, Riverina Revellers and the Wagga Brass Band.

The venue thrived throughout the twenties and endured several floods, but, after continuous damage, it was decided that a more stable floor, on brick supports, needed to be installed, thus an improved, steady and spacious venue was installed in 1925. Floods caused Dixieland to close and re-open many times, and may have caused its permanent closure in 1934 when more performances were held at inland venues such as the Town Hall Gardens and Wonderland Theatre. Residents had to watch the newspaper to find out where shows would be held in the event of a flood and when the hall would reopen for business once the river waters receded.

It is still unclear when and why Dixieland permanently closed its doors. It seems it held steady as the “Brightest Show in Town” throughout the Jazz Age, with its most active years between 1923 and 1931. The venue reached its peak in 1931 when it hosted its most famous foreign act, the Long Tack Sam Company, world-record-breaking dancing from Frank Speerin, the first Miss Wagga pageant and the venue’s own 10-year anniversary. After that, the Wagga Brass Band started to dissolve as members left the Riverina due to increased unemployment and the beckoning of another world war.

In 1932, after the most recent flood, considerable support was behind the rejuvenation and expansion of the Bathing Beach Reserve, which extended to the Sturt Street entrance to Wagga Beach. This could have eventually absorbed Dixieland’s space as interest faded in Jazz and grew in community health/recreation. Eventually, in 1936, Wagga Municipal Council and community members ruled that the remaining Brass Band would combine with the Wagga City Band to form the Wagga Citizens’ Band. There is no evidence of the Citizens’ Band making an effort to maintain the jazz hall; perhaps it was not an option without Council and community support.

This history was written by Kate Allman (2017).

The Wagga Wagga Anglican Parish was established in 1855. The current St John's Anglican Church was built in 1876.

The Anglican Diocese of Riverina was established officially on 16 December 1881 by a Declaration of Trust, and sponsored by the Hon. John Campbell, MLC, who donated £10000. Covering at least one third of the total area of New South Wales, parishes in the Riverina Diocese prior to 1881 were administered either from the Dioceses of Goulburn or Bathurst, and were often worked tirelessly by itinerant priests on horseback. The idea behind the carving up of Goulburn and Bathurst Dioceses stemmed from Bishop Selwyn's policy of extending missionary Anglicanism into remote parts of New Zealand by splitting up the countryside into smaller and more manageable bishoprics. Although the Anglican Church was intent on bringing church to the people of Riverina, the first three Bishops were however consecrated on the other side of the world in England.

After his consecration in England on 1 May 1884, the first Bishop of Riverina, Bishop Sydney Linton, set sail for Australia with his family on 15 January the following year. Upon his arrival he was welcomed in Melbourne, Sydney and Goulburn before travelling west to Hay to inspect the site of the proposed bishopric. On 18 March 1885, Bishop Linton was installed formally as Bishop of Riverina in St Paul's in Hay by the Incumbent, Reverend James Macarthur. Throughout his pioneering service, the Bishop toured extensively around to Riverina parishes and was instrumental in setting up the first Synod for the Anglican Church in 1887. The Bishop made the last of his journeys throughout the Diocese during 1894, when suddenly he fell ill and died later in Melbourne. The second Bishop nonetheless found the Diocese in a somewhat ailing financial state.

Bishop Ernest Augustus Anderson was installed in Hay as the second Bishop of Riverina on 11 February 1896, at a time when funding for the church was in short supply. Station owners no longer had the means of supporting the church because of the continuing drought and rabbit plague, which meant that clergymen had to work for almost nothing. Bishop Anderson's episcopate was also characterised as a time of conflict between the Bishop and his clergy, and between the clergy and their parishioners. However, at the turn of the century new towns throughout the Riverina began to flourish as the growing wheat industry gave the district a much needed economic boost. The Bishop retired from service on a rather positive note in 1925, leaving twice as many parishes in the Diocese as he took over originally.

The third Bishop of the Riverina was elected for the first time in the actual diocese he was serving. Reginald Charles Halse was elected Bishop of Riverina on 22 July 1925 and consecrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey in London on 29 September. Bishop Halse's reign saw a number of significant changes, including the introduction of the motor car and aeroplane to assist priests in bringing the church closer to the people in remote areas. By the 1930s, the motor car was the accepted means of travelling to cover an increasing number of parishes and services, and the use of the plane to establish contact with frontier parishes was the idea of the Rector of Wilcannia, Reverend Leonard Daniels, who had been dubbed the 'first flying parson' in Australia. Halse remained Bishop of Riverina until 1943, when he was transferred to Brisbane as Archbishop. The successor to Halse was Bishop Charles Herbert Murray, who was elected to administer Riverina in November 1943 and officially consecrated at St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney on 2 February 1944.

Compiled by : James Logan.
Sources : Clyde, Laurel, In a Strange Land: a history of the Anglican Diocese of Riverina. The Hawthorn Press: Melbourne, 1979.