THE Sea Lake newsagency celebrated its centenary on Thursday.
The milestone was marked with a special morning tea which saw local community members and past employees join together to celebrate the occasion.
The morning provided a trip down memory lane for third-generation proprietor Keva Lloyd.
Paying tribute to his predecessors, Mr Lloyd thanked his grandparents and parents for ensuring their business management skills were passed on through the generations.
“… For providing us with the basis on which our business is founded and teaching me the principals of successful business operation,” Mr Lloyd said.
First established in 1914, the business has undergone many changes throughout the years, including a name change from Stubbs’ Newsagency to Lloyd’s Newsagency.
The business has also endured its fair share of challenges.
They have included two disastrous fires, the Great Depression, three burglaries, the recession of the 80s, numerous droughts, the Westpac crisis and the current loss of population.
“In an age when we see the demise of small rural towns, several of which are our near neighbours, Sea Lake has stood firm…”
Despite the challenges, Mr Lloyd attributed the success of the business to the ongoing support of the local community, which extended beyond the Sea Lake township.
“In an age when we see the demise of small rural towns, several of which are our near neighbours, Sea Lake has stood firm,” Mr Lloyd said.
“Its sense of community and forward-thinking of its leaders have enabled the retention of its vital services — health, education, religious entities, essential services, sporting facilities, access to public transport and a vibrant commercial sector.
“Collectively, these services ensure the continuance of a community, such as a successful business needs ‘bread and butter’ to survive.”
These sentiments were echoed by Member for Mildura Peter Crisp who said the newsagency represented the “resilience of a local community”.
“It’s quite an achievement, not only to be celebrating 100 years but to be celebrating 100 years of ownership within the same family,” he said.
Despite the success of the newsagency, Mr Lloyd said local business relied on community support to survive and thrive.
“It’s quite an achievement, not only to be celebrating 100 years but to be celebrating 100 years of ownership within the same family…”
“We are very fortunate to have a range of businesses in Sea Lake that are well stocked and well run but they all depend on the support of the community to maintain their standards and indeed, survive,” Mr Lloyd said.
For many attending the celebrations, it was an opportunity to catch up as past employees reminisced on their time with the business.
Bernice Barbary (nee Fawcett) has fond memories of working alongside original owners Bert and Ollie Stubbs.
The 92-year-old started working with the family as a teenager.
“It was good fun,” Ms Barbary said.
Growing up on a farming property in Myall South, Ms Barbary recalls catching a lift into work each Monday.
She would stay in town until Friday, spending each weekend back on the farm.
While Ms Barbary now resides in Ouyen, she said it was great to be able to attend the celebrations and catch up with many familiar faces.
