Yurgo is in Karoonda East Murray District Council area.
The site of the old Yurgo Soldiers’ Memorial Institute that opened in 1927 lies abandoned in the Murray Mallee, beside the 1954 foundations for a later hall meant to replace the first that was destroyed in a storm.
The second hall was never built.
School was conducted in the memorial institute from 1927 until 1946, when students could attend the Karoonda Area School that opened early in 1941.
Originally, students of the settlement were schooled in a farmhouse outbuilding.
A newspaper report in October 1923 reported that the residents of Yurgo and district were anxious to have a hall of their own. As a means of raising funds, an Ugly Man’s Competition had been started. Other fund raising activities included dances and Sports Days.
Yurgo school first operated a mile north of Yurgo, in a stone outbuilding of a farmhouse. The school had 12 pupils and opened on January 26th 1926. This building was only to be a temporary arrangement until the Yurgo hall was built. It did not meet with Department requirements - it had no ceiling or heating, no table or chair for the teacher.
The District Inspector described the toilets of the school as "but bag structures of primitive type, otherwise crudely effective". The Chairman of the school committee replied to this by saying such arrangements had to be tolerated. Part of his letter included this statement: “As regards to sanitary arrangements, that arrangement is good enough for a temporary affair, as there are people up here living in bag rooms, to say nothing of enjoying the luxury of bags for their WC's. This is as yet a primitive district and our arrangements must be primitive."
The Education Department decided to tolerate the building until the hall was completed. They paid rent from January to September 1926 but declined to after that.
The Yurgo school was transferred to the new hall on June 27th 1927. Yurgo school continued after the opening of Karoonda Area School and did not close until December 1946.
In June 1954 it was reported that a committee had been formed to raise funds to rebuild the Yurgo Memorial Hall which was destroyed by a storm.
The foundations for the new hall were laid adjacent to the old, but the new hall was never completed.
*Hall needed at Yurgo
September 29
The residents of Yurgo and district are anxious to have a hall of their own, and determined efforts are being made to that end. As a means of raising funds, an Ugly Man's Competition has been started, and one of the candidates, Mr D Bicknell, the popular captain of the Nunkeri football team, has arranged for a dance at his residence at Yurgo on Saturday next, from which, it is hoped the fund will substantially benefit. The other candidates, too, are doing their bit, and if enthusiasm and determination. count for anything, the hall at Yurgo should soon be an accomplished fact. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark (SA) Friday 5 October 1923.
*Yurgo Memorial Hall
Karoonda, October 20
The secretary of the movement (Mr H Kelly), reports that a great interest is being taken in the district in the suggested establishment of a Memorial Hall at Yurgo.
The arrangements for the Sports on Saturday next are well in hand, entries are coming freely, and given fine weather, the sports should be a huge success. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA) Friday 26 October 1923.
*An Institute Opened
Yurgo October 24.—The Yurgo Soldiers' Memorial Institute was opened on Friday [21 October] by the Commissioner of Public Works (Hon M McIntosh). Councillor E L Bruce presided.
Mr Mclntosh congratulated the residents on their enterprise. The building would be a valuable asset to the district, which should make rapid progress, as there was only one block of unalloted land within a radius of about six miles of the township. He had seen crops that day on well-worked fallow land equal to flourishing parts of the mid-north. As the building is occupied by the Education Department he referred at length to questions of education, after which he unlocked the door and declared the building open.
Mr H Kelley, secretary of the institute, proposed a vote of thanks to the Minister. It was seconded by Mr
H Mackenzie, chairman of the school committee.
A sports programme was contested. Tea was served in the building, followed by a concert and dance.
Mrs Peek and Mr Nicoll supplied the dance music, and Mr A Wildman was MC.
The proceeds, which were in aid of the institute funds, were about £30. Ref: Advertiser (Adelaide SA) Wednesday 26 October 1927
*November 15 - A strawberry fete was held last night in the Yurgo Institute to raise funds for the Institute.
The hall was crowded with visitors from surrounding districts and the fete was a marked success.
Mr L Ward was MC. Mrs A M James's orchestra supplied the music for the dances. Items were contributed by Messrs, Wadmore, Tonkin and Pohlner and Mesdames Tonkin and Pohlner. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA)Friday 28 November 1930.
*Residents of the district and visitors from the city assembled in Yurgo hall and tendered a 21st birthday party to Miss Jean Kelley. Mr E Easton acting as MC, congratulated the guest and wished her many happy returns of the day. Items were rendered as follows: songs by Miss R Kelley and Miss H Angrove: recitations by Miss Olsen and Mr E Easton. Games and dancing were indulged in, and music was supplied by the Misses Jarrett and Mr Don Oakley. A very dainty supper was provided. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA) Thursday 27 April 1933.
*An enjoyable evening was spent in the Yurgo hall in winding up of the tennis season. The hall was crowded, and Marama, Nunkeri, Karoonda, Meroomba and Perponda were well represented. Mr E Easton was MC. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA) Thursday 11 May 1933.
*Yurgo Social Creditors in Housewarming August 1
The local branch of the Douglas Social Credit Association, held their monthly meeting at the new home of Mr and Mrs O C H Easton, over 40 people attending.
The chairman, Mr G R Tregilgas, said it was the desire of those present before opening the meeting to tender Mr and Mrs Easton a housewarming. He congratulated the hosts in at last being able to provide themselves with a new stone house "Lynton" and hoped they would find much more comfort than they had experienced for the last several years while pioneering their holding. He wished them every success and years of happiness in their new home. Other speakers were Mr H Kelly and Mrs Hopgood. Mr and Mrs Easton responded, and both agreed they had already felt the difference from living as they had done in a shed mid sand and flies. They thanked the speakers for their kindly remarks.
Miss N Jarrett officiated at the piano while the audience sang "For they are Jolly Good Fellows".
"Lynton" is built of a kind of iron sandstone and is admired by all. Stone houses are becoming the order of the day, there being two others in the course of erection in this locality, on Mr M C Rogers and Mr A E Harris's farms.
During the Social Credit meeting a debate was held. The assemblage was then treated to an excellent supper provided by the lady members. The social credit movement is rapidly gaining ground in this district. Ref: Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA) Thursday 8 August 1935.
*Yurgo, November 3
The Yurgo sports were held last Wednesday in aid of Institute funds. Owing to the inclemency of the weather the attendance was not as good as usual, and events were carried on between showers.
Tea was held in the Institute and was followed by a concert and dance. Perry's band supplied the music for the dance. Mr M Cram was MC. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA) Thursday 5 November 1936.
*Yurgo April 4
The weather is continuing dry and while some farmers are looking for rain others are not yet in a hurry where fallows are infested with wild turnips (charlock) which made its appearance in this district last year and this year invaded the farms en masse.
Quite a number of farmers are being forced off their holdings. Mr F Stratford's sale was held on Wednesday last and was well attended by buyers during the day and thieves by night—quite a lot of articles that were purchased and left till next day, plus permanent erections, being removed.
A farewell social was tendered Mr and Mrs H Kelly and family on Wednesday night eulogistic speeches being made by the following: Mr H McKenzie (district generally), Mrs Hopgood (Bureau and Tennis), Mr G R Tregilgas (Institute and Wheat-growers Association). Items were rendered by Messrs Slade, MacKenzie, E Easton and Button.
Dancing was enjoyed to music supplied by Mr H Perry, while Mr L Burton was MC and an excellent supper was provided by the ladies.
The railway siding has been improved by the building of a new house for the ganger. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA) Thursday 8 April 1937.
*First Volunteer Farwelled at Marama
Yurgo, December 11
On Friday night, December 1, by kind permission of the Marama Hall Committee who were holding a strawberry fete, most of the Yurgo people journeyed to Marama to bid farewell to Gunner Kriewaldt prior to his departure for NSW for further military training. Gunner Kriewaldt has the distinction of being the first to enlist from Yurgo. It was expected that he would be home on Saturday night when a farewell social was arranged for him, but owing to a short hurried leave he arrived Friday and had to return on Saturday, hence the arrangements for the farewell at Marama. A generous collection was handed to Mr G R Tregilgas to make the presentation and in doing so he asked the gunner to purchase whatever he desired and wished him God Speed, and a safe and speedy return. Mr M E Rogers spoke on behalf of the Yurgo Football Club and Mr E A Eston, cricket club. Mr P Tilly, chairman of the Marama Hall Committee, spoke and Mr S Hutchinson also. The guest of honour ably responded. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA)Thursday 14 December 1939.
*Yurgo July 8
A tea and dance was held after the Yurgo v Marama football match.
There was a good attendance. It was feared that the dance would have to be abandoned as pianists were not available. However, Mr G R Tregilgas saved the situation by bringing his 47-year-old accordion which, everybody enjoyed. Mr M C Rogers acted as MC.
The enlistments up to date from this small centre are E Kriewaldt, Les Polkinghorne, Bob Gillars, Murray Turner, Lindsay Burton and W Smith, all of the football team. Of the old diggers, H MacKenzie and L Hopgood are on garrison duty. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA)Thursday 11 July 1940.
*New Secretary for Hall
Mr E O Easton, who is leaving the district and has been secretary of the Yurgo Soldiers' Memorial Hall for several years, has handed in his resignation to the committee.
At a special meeting of the committee Mrs H Sanders was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr M C Rodgers has been elected to fill the vacancy of chairman for the Yurgo Public School Committee in succession to Mr Easton
*Yurgo AIF Enlistments
Eight young men from this district are overseas with the AIF. They are Messrs L Carpenter, L Burton, H Henderson, E Kriewaldt, L Polkinghorne, R Sellers, W Smith, and M Turner. Ref: Mail (Adelaide SA)Saturday 8 March 1941.
“Mayor of Yurgo”
The hall committee held a meeting last Monday evening mainly to reconstruct the social committee whose function it is to raise funds to retain the hall. The new committee now consists of Mr G R Tregilgas (chairman), Mrs R Miller (secretary and treasurer), Mrs Hopgood, Misses Tregilgas and Hopgood.
The committee has definitely decided to hold a competition for the "Mayor of Yurgo". The candidates are Mr Tregilgas, Mr T O'Loughlin and Mr Bampton. Ref: Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark SA) Thursday 15 May 1941
*Sand Covers Railway Lines At Yurgo
January 10
Sand drift is making the work of railwaymen in the district very arduous and on Sunday many of them worked all day to clear the railway line of sand to enable Monday's train to go through.
On Monday a gang had to travel in front of the train shovelling the sand from the line, but a few minutes later the rails were again covered. Many or the roads are completely blocked, and car breakdowns are a daily occurrence. Ref: Advertiser (Adelaide SA) Thursday 11 January 1945.
*Hall To Be Rebuilt
*Yurgo June 23
A citizens' meeting decided to rebuild the Yurgo Memorial Hall which was destroyed by a storm.
A committee headed by Mr Harold E Seidel was appointed.
Mr Don Curtis offered the use of 100 acres for the planting of barley, the proceeds to go to the hall, and volunteers agreed to work and seed the paddock.
The Nunkeri-Yurgo football club gave £140 and £110 was promised by those present. Seed and superphosphate were also promised.
Ref: Advertiser (Adelaide SA)Thursday 24 June 1954.
