“Never Trust a Greek”
George Skettos came to Australia from Greece by tramp steamer in 1919 landing at Freemantle, W.A. He then travelled to Kalgoolie to find work. George borrowed money from an Aussie to come to Queensland because in his own words “You couldn’t trust a Greek”. He came to Allora in probably the late 1930’s or early 1940’s and took over the cafe which he renamed the “Allora Cafe” at what is now No. 44 Herbert Street.  He was in business in Allora for over 30 years. Many of those who attended the Allora schools will remember the chips cooked on the old wood stove at the back of the shop and wrapped in newspaper. George and Mrs. Skettos were proud financial supporters of various local organizations including Legacy, the Red Cross, and the Show Society. In 1973 they retired from the shop to a house that they had had built at 37 Herbert Street. George died on the 6th May 1984 and Mrs. Skettos died on the 10th November 1993. Both are buried in the Allora Cemetery.
For more details of No. 44 Herbert Street see Herbert Street 2 on the web site.

Spring Creek “Get Together”
Residents and former residents of the Spring Creek district met at the Clifton Museum recently to consider the possibility of holding a get together of former pupils, teachers, family and friends of the Spring Creek and Spring Creek Upper State Schools. The general feeling of the meeting was that a gathering should be held in about September 2010 to coincide with the release of the book being written by Joy King on the histories of the schools.
Among the old district families to be represented at the meeting were Byrne, Dallinger, Dalton, Doyle, Pacholke, Saal, Stallman, Telford, Walker and White. Nominations were taken for a committee to start planning the day. A hat (belonging to old Spring Creek identity Ken Telford) was passed around resulting in the collection of $220 to go with the $50 previously generously donated by Jim Logan. The money will be used to cover the expenses of the committee.
If anyone wants to take an active part in the organization of the day or wishes to contribute ideas please contact Pam Dalton 46123126, Trevor Mason 46964199 or Colin Newport 46964139.
Joy King is still asking for the contribution of Spring Creek family histories to be included in the book. Don’t have your family left out. Contact Joy on 46973660

Allora’s Past75 years ago June 1934
Lanz Bulldog Tractor
Drawing a five-furrow mouldboard plough a 15/30 Lanz Bulldog crude oil tractor, on Saturday demonstrated the manufacturer’s claims as to its economic fuel consumption. The practical test was carried out on Mr. H. Geck’s property a few miles from Allora. Set to work on a four acre paddock which until recently had been grazed by dairy cattle and horses, the machine worked efficiently. Calculations showed that the tractor had ploughed 3 acres 3 roods 4 perches on five and one third gallons of crude oil, the cost of the fuel , including lubricating oil, working out at approximately 1/- per acre. More that 50 farmers attended the demonstration and were impressed with the simplicity of operation and the low fuel costs. Messrs. Donovan & Son are the local agents.

Allora’s Past 80 Years ago August 1929
Disastrous Fire
Five business premises were totally destroyed when fire broke out in the main business section of the town on Tuesday 6th August 1929. The blaze started in Fitzgerald’s drapery at what is today No. 52 Herbert Street. At one time it was feared that the fire would travel southward to the end of the block, but a slight change in the wind and a galvanized iron wall gave the volunteers a chance to practically demolish a shop, and cut away the roof, leaving the latter forming a barrier to the flames.
The accompanying photo supplied courtesy of Eric and Hazel Dippelsmann shows the shop at what is now No. 46 Herbert Street which was demolished to prevent the spread of the fire to No. 44 then occupied by Mrs. E. H. Gifford’s Newsagency and James’ Cafe owned by D. Manegos.
For further details on No. 46 Herbert Street see Herbert Street 2 on this web site.

Allora’s Past 100 years ago June 1909
Allora Business People Complemented
A correspondent writes to a Clifton newspaper stating that a large volume of Pilton trade is diverted from Clifton to Allora owing to the up-to-date methods adopted by firms of the latter town. He states that two firms in Allora run groceries twice a month throughout the Pilton district, and thereby secure all the orders that are available. He wants to know if Clifton traders can follow suit.

Allora’s Past 25 years ago July 1984
THE HOMESTEAD
FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY

EVERYONE IS WELCOME
at the first birthday party
at The Homestead
on Saturday, 21st July,1984
commencing at 2 p.m.

Allora’s Past 50 years ago July 1959
£150 REWARD £150
FISHING CONTEST – “Glengarrie”, Condamine River
property of Mr. H. J. Holmes, Victoria Hill
on Sunday, 30th August, 1959.
(Last day of the Fishing Season)
£150 reward to the person who catches the Tagged Fish
“erbert of Glengarrie”
Hours of fishing: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

Allora’s Past 75 years ago July 1934
Country Women’s Association
After standing for one minute in silent respect to the passing away of their president (Mrs. Grace Sharpe) whose death occurred last week, members of the Allora branch of the C. W. A., at their monthly meeting on Wednesday, listened to their former leader’s last message, as read by the secretary (Mrs. W. J. Lilley). The message that Mrs. Sharpe gave on the Friday night preceding her death was as follows.
‘Try to keep the golden rule, and do unto others as you would have them do to you. Do all things to the best of your ability and learn to enjoy and appreciate the simple things in life. Be charitable in your thoughts and actions towards all persons. Somewhere it has been written, so many gods, so many creeds, so many paths that wind and wind, when just one act of being kind is all this sad world needs’.
The meeting resolved that a letter of sympathy be forwarded to Mrs. Sharpe’s family.

Allora’s Past 100years ago July 1909
Death Notice
On the 15th instant, by the hands of a poison
fiend, the greyhound “Madge”, a fine courser
 in her day, and a mother of champions.

Madge, whose name is a well known one amongst coursing men, has made her mark both as a performer and as a mother of champions. She was the winner of the Allora Cup in 1900 and 1901 at a time when Allora was the centre of Queensland coursing. Amongst her progeny is Welcome Laddie who holds what is probably the best record of any hound in Queensland today.
Madge was bred by Mr. W. A. Deacon and although getting on in years, the hope was indulged in that she would live to bring still more champions into the world. However she was found dead in the street on Thursday morning.

Allora’s Past 75 years ago July 1934
Spring Creek School
At a meeting of the Spring Creek State School Committee, over which the Chairman (Mr. A. Hinrichsen) presided, it was arranged that the annual picnic and ball be held on September 22nd. A member (Mr. C. Smith), was authorized to procure timber to make trestles to be used for the next picnic. The Chairman’s action in purchasing sporting material for the children was endorsed. A vote of thanks was passed to Messrs. Holmes, Barlow, and Vaughan for their voluntary efforts in cleaning the school yard.
With the expected early completion of the book on the histories of the Spring Creek and Spring Creek Upper State Schools by Joy King, the date of the get-together originally planned for September2010 has been changed  to be held to as close as possible to the first Sunday in May 2010. Get your family histories to Joy as soon as you can.

Allora’s Past 75years ago July 1934
East Talgai Estate
Of the 10 blocks in the subdivided East Talgai Estate offered at public auction by Messrs. G. C. & H. C. Clark, only one sold (at amount of £8 per acre), but it is understood that several prospective clients may purchase privately. Considerable interest was taken in the sale, over 100 persons being present in the Shire Hall when bidding commenced on Wednesday afternoon. The majority were from the immediate Allora district but Warwick, Clifton, and Boonah were well represented. Prior to the sale, auctioneers Messrs. Donovan & Son announced that of the 3,200 acres, two homestead blocks of 730 acres were reserved for private sale while 4 blocks had been sold by the exercise of long standing options. Negotiations for the sale of the balance are continuing.

Allora’s Past 100 years ago July 1909
Up to Date as Usual
In their never ceasing efforts to keep right up to the minute, and to serve their numerous army of customers with celerity and to their satisfaction, Messrs. Scott & Symes have recently installed one of the latest bacon slicing machines. All that is necessary in its manipulation is to place anything up to a side of bacon in the machine, turn the handle and proceed to wrap up the neatly sliced rashers. The machine will not talk, neither will it wait on the table, but it will cut beautifully cut rashers of bacon of any thickness from a sheet of tissue paper to a four-inch board, and that is what it is made for. The even cut, any good housewife will realize, ensures uniform cooking and general satisfaction, and Scott & Symes are now in a position to supply the breakfast tables of their customers with the best of bacon rashers.

Allora Racecourse
With the future of the Allora Racecourse up for debate it is timely to record a few of its highlights. The Allora Racecourse Reserve was proclaimed on the 4th August, 1871, under the “Crown Lands Alienation Act of 1868” under which Crown Land could be permanently reserved from sale for any public purpose. An area of 150 acres 3 roods 28 perches on the main road from Allora to Warwick was set aside as a Reserve for a Racecourse. One wonders at the priorities of the early Allora settlers as this date is only two years after Allora was proclaimed a municipality. The Reserve for the Show Grounds was not proclaimed until 12/3/1880 and the Police Paddock Reserve was not proclaimed until 14/8/1884.
On the 11th December 1883, the Allora Municipal Council were appointed to be trustees of the Racecourse Reserve and were empowered to make By-laws for carrying out the objects of the Trust, subject to the approval of His Excellency the Governor in Council. This trusteeship was transferred to the Allora Shire Council on its formation in 1915.
Spencer Briggs describes in his diary a visit to the Allora Races on Boxing Day, 1879.
“Rather cloudy morning. Mr. Rooney lent me Peri for the races. Rooney came over to see if Pater and Mater would go in his dray so went over to harness up Sam. Started for the course by 11. Took our dinners. Saw all the races which were very good. There were five. The big prize was £15. All Allora there. Three or four fights but none taken up. The dray started home by 4”.

6/9/1930   Racing Date Accepted
The committee of the Allora Jockey Club decided to accept October 18, the date allotted by the Downs and South-Western Racing Association, for its next race meeting. This decision was reached at a meeting held in the Commercial Hotel on Monday night. The resignation of the president, Mr. F. B. Buchanan, was received with regret after which Mr. F. H. Stewart was appointed to the vacancy. The Railway department is to be approached regarding the running of a special train to connect with Warwick and Toowoomba trains on the day of the meeting.

1/2/1951    Rain Halts Allora Races 
Rain forced the Downs Racing Association Stipendiary Steward to declare the Clifton race track unsafe at the Allora Jockey Club’s meeting last Monday afternoon. The meeting had been transferred from Allora owing to the excessive rain received in the Allora area. Only one race –The Maiden Hack Handicap- had been run out of a scheduled five race programme.

22/10/1959   Allora Jockey Club
Centenary Year Annual Cup Meeting
Tuesday 3rd November
£230 Prize Money 
Refreshment and Publican’s Booth on Ground.
A half day holiday has been granted throughout the Shire for the day.
        J. G. Hilton, Hon. Sec.
20/4/1978  PICNIC RACES and SPORTS PROGRAMME
Allora Racecourse, Monday 1st May (Labour Day)
$2,500 Prize and Trophy Value
$250 South Queensland Championship Tug of War
DRINKS BARBEQUE  LUNCH

Herbert Street Businesses
71 Herbert Street
120 years ago - Alex Lumsden’s blacksmith shop.
90 years ago – A. D. Siebenhausen’s residence and poultry farm.
50 years ago – Morrish family residence.
25 years ago – Watney’s Tea Gardens and Herb Farm.
Present – Wild Origins Restaurant.
For more details see Herbert South on web site.

Alex Lumsden
Alexander Lumsden served his blacksmith’s apprenticeship in Glasgow, Scotland. After finishing his trade, Alex, his wife Mary Ann, and two daughters set out for Australia. Unfortunately one of the daughters died on the voyage. Former Allora blacksmith, Arthur George Anderson, met the ship on its arrival in Brisbane in 1881 and employed Alex Lumsden to help complete a contract that he had on the building of the western railway at Mitchell. Alex Lumsden came to Allora in 1886 and set up a blacksmith’s shop on the Herbert and Jubb Street’s corner. Mr. Lumsden was well known for his manufacture of the Lumsden corn planter, one of the first mechanical corn planters to be used on the Downs. In the early 1900’s the blacksmith’s shop was moved to Warwick Street, across the lane from the Presbyterian manse. The move was probably made due to frequent flooding of the Herbert/Jubb Street site. The water heights in some of the large Allora floods were quoted in relation to Lumsden’s blacksmith shop.

Some Memorable Floods
Although it is hard to compare, the 1864 flood is reputed to be the largest in Allora’s history. In the reminiscences of H. J. Gwynne, he says that in that year water covered all of Allora except for 10 acres, which is the area of one town block. Mr. Gwynne said that teams loaded with wool on the road to Ipswich had to be chained to trees to stop them being washed away. The 1864 flood is also when Robert Bradfield had to carry his sick wife from their farm to the east of the town to the Dalrymple Hotel through water all the way.
1887 and 1890 were also major floods in the Allora district. The Allora Guardian reports of the 1890 flood say that it was about the same height as the 1887 flood. The water was about 1 foot deep in Lumsden’s blacksmith shop in Herbert Street. Dalrymple Creek overflowed its banks, flooding over the properties of M. Hughes, T. Smith, J. Ryan, A. Shannon, the Race Course, D. Pugh, J. Dougall and W. Deacon. The houses of J. Dougall, W. Deacon and J. Rooney were surrounded by water.
The flood of February 15th 1893 was possibly even higher than the previous two. The water rose to nearly level with the verandah floor boards of J. Dougall’s and W. Deacon’s houses in South Street. At the other end of the town the water rose nearly up to Mr. Lumsden’s forge and just invaded the lower corner of the Club Hotel yard on the opposite corner.
There probably have been other floods of equal height over the years. Graham Morrish can remember flood water about 1 foot deep under their house on the Herbert/Jubb Street’s corner. Water also entered the lower corner of the saleyards across the road. This was possibly in 1959.
1976 was also a big flood year in the Allora district as it was in many parts of the State. Allora Shire Council works overseer, Mr. M. J. Larkin, estimated the damage done to Shire roads to be in excess of $40,000. Shire Chairman, Cr. Stewart Henry, said that this was in addition to damage done to cropping lands and farm fencing.
Tell us your Allora flood stories. Ring Lyn Wright on 4666 3098.

Herbert Street Businesses
65 Herbert Street
110 years ago – Sharpe & Leggatt, timber yard
50 years ago – Allora Baptist Church.
25 years ago - J. R. Seibel, veterinary surgeon.
Currently Bruce and Sandra Wilson’s private residence.
For more details see Herbert South on web site.

Allora Baptist Church
The official opening of the Allora Baptist Church by the President of the Baptist Union of Queensland, took place on Saturday, 19th August, 1950. The celebrations took the form of a Grand Open Air Rally in the main street followed by a night meeting in the church.
The Allora Baptist congregation were still worshiping in the church on the 18th April, 1968 when Tom and Salome Hoey, former residents of the district, and at that time members of the Unevangelical Fields Mission, spoke and showed slides of the Biami people of New Guinea.
The church must have been closed and been shifted in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s. If you have any information or photos of the Baptist Church in Allora contact Lyn Wright on 0408753085.

Allora’s Past 25 years ago August 1984

REVUE ’84
A Variety Concert in aid of the Nurse-of-the-Year entrant Lyn Ellwood.
Friday 10th August 7.45 p.m. at the Community Hall.
See individual artists from past Community Choir Concerts.
Come along and listen to old and new favourites …….
Elvis, Al Jolson, The Cowleys, The Dalrymple Bush Band,
and many more.
Admission: Adults $3, children $1.

Allora’s Past 50 years ago August 1959

Allora Marching Girls
A meeting of the Allora Marching Girls
will be held in the Shire Hall
on Thursday, 6th August at 7.30 p.m.
       C. Mahoney Hon. Sec.
If you have any information or photos of the Allora Marching Girls contact Lyn Wright on 0408753085.

Allora’s Past 100 years ago August 1909

Exhibition Visitors
In our last issue we gave the number of passengers who had booked to Brisbane from the Allora railway station at exhibition excursion fares. The total was 83 up to Friday, 13th inst. Since then the second week’s extra cheap fares came into operation and the following additional bookings resulted:- Saturday 55, Mon. 16, Tues. 2, Wed. 1, Thurs. 3, total 77 or a grand total of 160 in addition to those who travelled on the mail trains. Mr. Cooke, stationmaster at Hendon, informed us that 46 passengers left that station. We are indebted to Mr. Kingsford for the information as to Allora bookings.