Old signs of times past: Henrietta Fashion Salon and Dick Lonnie RetraVision in Cobram.
How good is your memory?
How many readers can recall Henrietta Fashion Salon and Dick Lonnie RetraVision, two businesses adjacent to each other in Bank St, Cobram?
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The two retail shops were well patronised and served the community for a long period of time around the 1980s and 1990s.
Today the shops are home to Cobram Outdoors and Disposal Store, and the recent removal of signage above the verandas has revealed billboards from the two former businesses.
Do readers have any memories of the business owners and where they went, or your recollections of each shop and of a time gone by that you would like to share?
Give me call.
Open garden in Jerilderie
Jerilderie Public School will be conducting an Open Garden Day on Sunday, October 24 between 10 am and 3 pm during which five of the district’s finest gardens will be showcased.
With significant rainfall and intermittent sunshine during the past month or so, the gardens are flourishing and displaying a magnificent mass of colour.
The time and effort taken by each couple to exhibit these wonderful examples of country gardens is bound to impress.
Tickets are $20 and will be available at any of the gardens on the day.
A light morning tea/lunch will be available at Lawton’s, at 104 Showground Rd, Jerilderie, or at Roe’s at 66 Oaklands Rd, Jerilderie.
Cost is $10 per person which also includes a hot or cold drink.
If you require further information phone Carmen on 0427242148.
Little Esme graduates
Orphaned koala joey Esme has reached a milestone in her young life.
Tiny and most unwell when she was found early this year, it was touch and go as to whether she would survive, being so young and without her mother.
However, it was her lucky day to be rescued by Dutch Thunder Wildlife duo Kylee Donkers and James Leonard.
After nearly 12 months of care and rehabilitation young Esme is now ready to greet the world as a beautiful healthy koala.
Initially the little joey was quite sick and had many ups and downs, but it is with pride that Kylee and James have been able to upgrade the little koala to her soft release enclosure, where she was happy to explore and then climb straight up the tree out of reach.
From this enclosure she can make her way out into her new bush home.
While some koalas stay around for a while, others leave straight away — it is up to them.
Congratulations and good luck sweet Esme, may life treat you well!
World at her feet: Esme in her new enclosure which offers a doorway to a new life.
Josephine has her sights set on musical theatre
From a young age Josephine Diretto possessed a desire to perform on stage, and over the years her determination has never wavered.
Beginning with singing lessons at the age of 10, she was later to take up a range of musical instruments, beginning with guitar and later the piano at age 14 and then drums which she taught herself to play.
Dance classes began at the age of 16 and today her focus is mastering the piano accordion.
Previously a student at St Mary of the Angels in Nathalia, Josephine loved being involved in school productions and took a lead role in a number of musicals.
Arts and drama teacher at the college Kim Carter recalls, “Josephine took many key roles in our productions. She is an amazing young woman. She is a highly skilled vocalist and actress as well as an incredible dancer. She is extraordinary. She is very disciplined and has won many awards and exhibits the most amazing ability in so many areas of performing.”
Josephine not only has performed at school but joined the Initial Stages Youth Theatre program in Shepparton for budding performers aged 8 to 19 years and was chosen to play Miss Sherman in the musical Fame. She has also showcased her beautiful voice performing with Numurkah Singers.
Now aged 21 and tempted to apply for positions to further her career in musical theatre, Josephine filled out applications but declined to pursue them further, for theatre was not going anywhere until COVID-19 lockdowns are over.
Josephine is a third generation of Cobram orchardists, the Diretto family.
Her grandparents Angela and Paul came to Australia from Varapodio, Calabria, Italy in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
They purchased the land at Yarroweyah to grow fruit, and their children and grandchildren continue to work hard today to produce some of the finest quality stone fruit in the district on their 50 ha block.
Josephine and her siblings, Angela and Paul, have always helped out in the family business and yet it is musical theatre that captures this talented young woman’s heart.
Asked if she has a dream role, Josephine doesn’t miss a beat.
“To play Jenna from the musical Waitress, I would absolutely love it!
“The music is by Sara Bareilles and the book was written by Jessie Nelson and it was made into a movie in 2007.
“It’s fantastic and would be my dream role!”
Once lockdowns are over and she has attended an information night for STAG (Shepparton Theatre Arts Group), hopefully the new year will see this unbelievably talented young woman chosen for a variety of roles and ultimately move closer to her dream.
Undoubtedly her parents — mum Julie, a teacher at St Joseph’s Primary, and dad Pat, a guiding force in the family orchard business —are justifiably proud of their extremely talented daughter.
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