From the pages of the McIvor Times

140 years ago

Published 15 August 1884

AS time progresses, the introduction of the new Railway Construction Bill is most anxiously looked forward to by the people of Heathcote and district.

The construction of a line to Heathcote is now very generally regarded as a certainty, and already action is being taken on the strength of it.

One of the most noticeable steps taken is in the increase in the number of selections on the area of land taken up in this part of the district.

Though only a month has elapsed since the holding of the previous Local Land Board, there was comparatively a very heavy batch of applications to be dealt with at the Board on Wednesday, the number of applicants being 28, and the area selected by them being about 5000 acres.

There is not the slightest doubt but that the prospect of a railway at no distant date was greatly instrumental in causing this great increase in the area of selection, notwithstanding the best of the land has been taken up long ago.

We cannot but regard this circumstance as an encouraging omen; for, combined with railway facilities, apart from all other advantages, it means extensive future settlement, increase in employment of labour, and a generally more prosperous state of things.

90 years ago

Published August 1934

There are those who believe that the state-owned railways, in which millions of pounds of the taxpayers’ money have been sunk, remain the most efficient means of passenger and goods traffic in this generation.

Others contend that an advanced age, with its astonishing evolutionary changes in systems and scientific formulas, demands advanced treatment.

So far as Heathcote is concerned the principal consideration is whether the town and its scattered district can be more efficiently, profitably and conveniently served by road than by rail.

From the point of view of passenger traffic, it undoubtedly can be.

Our residents have never been so excellently served than in recent years, since passenger car services have been daily running from northern centres to Melbourne via Heathcote.

These have been appreciated by the people, to the further cost of our main roads and the concern of the Shire authorities.

Spasmodic calls for patriotism to the state’s railway have been unanswered, for the sufficient reason that people could not bring themselves to rise at an extremely early hour to board a train when a comfortable closed car passed their doors at a convenient hour and gave them the privilege of speedy transport to the metropolis within two hours.

To point out to the nevertheless they had to maintain the railways by taxation as well as the corrugated roads over which they travelled was in vain.

40 years ago

Published 29 August 1984

A public meeting called by a number of people concerned by the type of subdivision being proposed by the Shire of McIvor Planning Review for Rural Areas was very well attended on Friday evening.

Several motions were carried by huge majorities at the meeting.

Mr Tom Dowd when speaking said that the main concern was the number of small allotments of 2.5 to 4 hectares and the problems which would probably arise for the surrounding farmers and the welfare problems of housing, health, domestic and social tensions.

Rev Doug Ross went into greater detail on the welfare problems some of which are occurring in the Shire at present.

Some photographs were displayed at the meeting of varying types of accommodation found on some of the blocks around Heathcote.

Many of these blocks have no water, electricity or proper sanitary facilities.

Rev Ross explained how some of the block owners got into financial difficulties.

He said that many of these people saw advertisements for the land on low deposit and low weekly repayments, often below what they are paying in rent, and buy with the thought that in the long run it would be their own.

“As soon as they move onto their block the hidden costs start to appear—the fuel costs for transport and lighting, the cost of transport of water, the cost of keeping clean, the cost of washing clothes at a launderette.”