30 years to 1992
Pakenham had set an example for other towns with its landmark sculpture, Senior Lecturer in Art History at the University of Melbourne Kenneth Wach, told a crowd of 80 people who attended its lighting up ceremony. He said no other state had more sculpture than Victoria and no other state had a more interesting sculpture than Chrystalis, the name given to the landmark by its designer Anthony Russo. “It cannot help but be a focal point for Pakenham,” he said. It stood on the old Tyrepower site on the corner of Princes Highway and Main Street. The same week marked the opening of another significant structure in town. Planning and Housing Minister Andrew McCutcheon opened the Lilypond House Community Centre on the Urban Land Authority’s Pakenham Park estate, describing it as a “friendly, welcoming building”.
20 years to 2002
More than 400 people gathered in Pakenham to farewell Jack Green, one of the most respected names in the dairy industry. Among the mourners were Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy and former champion Tim Watson, along with club officials and board members. Jack was a recruiting scout for the club for many years and made a life member in 1979. His coffin was draped in the 1965 premiership flag and the club theme song blared as the coffin was wheeled out of the funeral chapel. Dairy industry officials from throughout Victoria travelled from as far as Swan Hill and Kerang to pay their respects. A letter was read out from Victorian Governor John Landy. The two met in the 1960s through their work in agriculture. Jack wrote for rural magazines and newspapers and was well known for his long-running Green’s Golden Words column in the Australian Dairyfarmer. He was named Man of the Year in Agriculture in 1984 and made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1977.
10 years to 2012
A Berwick CFA pilot program will continue to save lives thanks to support from community groups. Captain Alan Boyd said the brigade was able to upgrade its emergency medical response vehicle to a new Ford Territory largely because of a donation from the Berwick Opportunity Shop. Berwick CFA is one of only five volunteer crews in Victoria to use one of the vehicles as part of a life-saving pilot program where members attend priority triple-zero calls – medical emergencies such as heart attacks, drug overdoses and drowning where the patient has no pulse or breathing and there is a high likelihood of death. If it arrives at the scene before an ambulance, CFA members are able to start treatment. “There are a number of people in Berwick alive today that would not otherwise be if not for the program,” Captain Boyd said. He gave the example of a carpenter on a building site in Berwick who was revived by CPR.
