50 Years Ago – 16 April 1976

Moruya man, Mr. Jim Pickering, experienced a near tragedy after he had been thrown out of a fishing boat operated by Mr. Frank Jones, while crossing the bar at the mouth of the Moruya River on Tuesday. Another passenger was Bill Sykes. Due to the roughness of the waves on the bar, the men had difficulty in picking Mr. Pickering up and threw a life jacket to him to help support him. After three-quarters of an hour of circling Mr. Pickering, they managed to pull him to safety.
Ironically, the incident occurred the day after the men had attended a special meeting to decide what action to take to try and have the river dredged from the bridge to the sea as a matter of urgency. President of the Moruya Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Jim Rodgers, said the situation was not just choking the river, but the town drain. “The river drains the town, the flats and the basin,” he said. The local Fisherman’s Club is also concerned that unless dredging is carried out, it is only a matter of time before a fatality could occur on the bar. A committee was formed to take action.
After two years of negotiation, the Moruya Historical Society has finalized the purchase of the museum building in Campbell Street, Moruya, this week. Society President, Mr. Bill Doyle, said the building was purchased for $11,200, of which approximately half was paid, with the bank financing the rest. A contract for the electrical rewiring had already been let. Other plans include the establishment of an open-air display of historical hardware and farm machinery.
Mr. Kevin Gest, South East Coast Tourist Association Field Officer, addressed Bateman’s Bay Rotary Club last week. He stated that many people didn’t realise that 80% of the economy of the region depends on the tourist dollar. He advised that when tourists visit the region, the people of the local community should treat these visitors with courtesy whenever contact is made. He added that Bateman’s Bay was expanding at a rate of 10% per annum – the highest rate in Australia.

Mr. Roger Joseph McCauley, of Moruya, and formerly of Nelligen, died in hospital on the 4th April. Roger was born in Braidwood 74 years ago, and educated at St. Mary’s Convent Moruya, and later at St. Joseph’s College, Hunter’s Hill. He showed a very keen interest in horse racing and in his early days was a jockey. Roger spent most of his life farming in Nelligen and Moruya. He married Minnie, daughter of Frank and Matilda Egan of Nelligen, who survives him with their four children. They are Mick (Moruya), Patricia (Mrs. Leo Clynch, Bega), Robin (Mrs. John Harper, Moruya), and Maureen (Mrs. Allan Robins, Canberra).