The Border Watch runs a weekly “looking back” column with news extracts from 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago.
This week I noticed the town’s basketball stadium was officially opened 40 years ago by Gough Whitlam (photo below).
Known today as the Icehouse, the stadium hosts local basketball and the town’s only sporting team in a national competition, the Pioneers.
It’s a bit rundown. As a commenter on the web story said: “Aside from the heat, the cold, the leaky roof and the rats and mice, it still is a good venue.”
The Icehouse isn’t as good as the Kalgoorlie basketball stadium, and in my opinion it’s not a good image for Mount Gambier to present on the national sporting scene.
The chances of it being upgraded are pretty slim, however.
Anyhow, this post isn’t a rant or criticism of the Icehouse. Rather, I found it curious that Gough Whitlam opened the stadium.
He was opposition leader at the time.
I can’t imagine any opposition leader being asked to open anything today, except their own party meetings.
There was some political innocence still in the 60s and 70s.
Gough Whitlam opened the Mount Gambier basketball stadium in 1969.
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That’s very interesting..I wonder if any of your politically-connected or journalistic readers could explain that..
Gough was well off his manor..not a local member or even a member for the State. Perhaps someone in the town remembers why.
There’s an idea for a competition: “Explain why Gough opened the
basketball stadium..win an email from Godwin Grech” Or maybe a pie from the truck.