My name is Garry Nelmes.
I am the grandson of a WWI ANZAC George John McLennan and the son of a WWII ANZAC Noel Standley Nelmes.
Today I will be sharing for the first time information from my grandfather’s journal of his battle experiences on the western front during WW1 and in particular one of the many battles to capture the strategic Village of Passchendaele in Belgium.
Lions Club Toodyay
John Pearce – Auction Coordinator
THIS year our 39th Lions Jumbo Auction was held on Saturday April 5 and it was truly a community event with 10 club and 19 community members contributing to what was a successful day.
Their assistance in, for example, cataloguing auction items, laying out the oval and unloading items was appreciated.
In the lead up to the auction we aimed to promote this event differently, including through road signs, Toodyay Herald advertising and a Facebook campaign.
This also included interviews with our beneficiaries and auctioneer as well as advertising some of our fantastic items.
The day was wonderful with lovely overcast weather, very different to the evening of the day before the auction.
The lot numbers and bidders were down this year.
We had several lots that were donations from business and community members including hay, gravel, sand and water, hardware, power tools and stock feed.
There was also a household of furniture.
Each item sold over the reserve price.
Now for the magic part. This year’s auction raised approximately $9000 – a fabulous achievement and a massive boost from the $2500 raised in 2024.
The local community truly came onboard to support the auction which is fantastic.
The auction changed last year when more local businesses became involved and items this year included bakery vouchers, hay and trade discounts.
As a club we would like to thank our volunteer ‘Friends of Lions’ for your assistance on the Friday set up, and on the day with auction scribing and running sheets back to the office.
We could not have done this without you.
This year’s beneficiaries, include Toodyay Youth Care Council, Forget-Me-Not Café, and Toodyay Junior Soccer Club – with each group receiving $2500.
A ‘Thank You Morning Tea’ was held for all involved on Sunday April 27. Thanks to the CWA the food was sensational.
Thanks must also go to our sellers and bidders on the day and the community support for a memorable auction.
We must not forget our auctioneers Tony Maddox (a 30 year+ supporter of the auction) and Adrian Gamble for an entertaining day.
I’d like to also personally thank everyone involved in making the 2025 auction such a great success.
The support of the Shire of Toodyay was also invaluable and I thank the shire CEO Aaron Bowman and his senior managers in Vanessa Crispe and Sandra Watson.
If you are thinking of finding out more about who we are and what we do in your community, we meet on the first Tuesday of the month at the Toodyay Hotel 6.30pm.
You will be most welcome to attend.
Like us on Facebook and visit our website for more information.
By Rashelle Predovnik
THE REACH of mining across Toodyay is quietly tightening its grip on the region, with a new exploration licence request now lodged by a bauxite mining company.
The application came to light after Dewars Pool resident Ronald Witt received an unexpected letter informing him that a section of his property falls within the boundary of Exploration Licence Application E70/6701.
It was signed by a geologist and written to comply with a legal requirement, under the Mining Act, to inform landowners about exploration plans that affected their land.
The letter unearthed the possibility Mr Witt’s property could be the next target for mining companies seeking to dig into Toodyay’s irreplaceable landscapes.
He said it beggared belief that his idyllic life on a tranquil 95-acre bush block, on Bindoon Dewars Rd, was earmarked for excavation and industrial disruption.
Much to Mr Witt’s relief, the exploration licence lodged by the geologist in February was officially withdrawn on April 8.
But that relief was short-lived.
Sean Hefferon
THE 2025 Anzac Days services in Toodyay attracted large crowds that honoured Australian servicemen and women who served and continue to serve in conflict, peacekeeping missions and disaster relief.
At least 300 people attended what was a chilly Anzac Day dawn service to pay their respects to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Gathered at Toodyay’s Anzac Memorial Park, the solemn ceremony included the Roll of Honour read by Max Howard and Bob Wood with the Ode recited by Toodyay RSL President Geoff Brown.
The crowd stood united in silence and reflection as The Last Post was played – even the chattering of birds became muted.
After the minutes silence Monika Williams sang the New Zealand national anthem followed by Vicki Hagerty singing the Australian anthem.
As the service closed many in the crowd approached and stood silently at the Anzac War Memorial in a moment of private contemplation.
Many service attendees then headed to the Wicklow Shearing Shed for a traditional Gunfire breakfast.
A few hours later the Anzac Parade, that started at 10.30am from outside Memorial Hall, saw marchers accompanied by an ever-growing crowd of people, as all made their way to the Main Service at Anzac Memorial Park.
The service commencing at 10.45am included a flyover from a Royal Australian Air Force jet.
In a particularly poignant moment in the service Toodyay resident Garry Nelmes shared his family story about the Anzac experience.
Garry is the grandson of WW1 Anzac George John McLennan and the son of a WWII Anzac Noel Standley Nelmes.
“Today I will be sharing for the first time information from my grandfather’s journal of his battle experiences on the western front during WWI and in particular one of the many battles to capture the strategic village of Passchendaele in Belgium.
I am doing so to honour his memory.
George John McLennan was born in 1888 and enlisted on the 30th of August 1916 and was assigned to the 5th reinforcement 36th battalion Australian Imperial Force.
Passchendaele, over a 5-month period saw both sides experience some of the most horrific fighting in WWI with total losses estimated at half a million soldiers.
Australian casualties numbered 38,000.
What a glorious sunny day it is today, now imagine it’s the early hours of the 12th of October 1917 on the western front in Belgium, its late autumn its freezing cold and it’s raining and you can barely walk in the thick mud and the 36th battalion is preparing for a 2nd assault on the village of Passchendaele.
This was hoped to be the final assault on the village of Passchendaele, however it resulted in a withdrawal and it wasn’t until the third assault that the Germans were pushed back.
Thus the 2nd battle for Passchendaele was over and amongst the troops it was renamed ‘Slaughter’.
George has been badly wounded in the battle and was thought to be dead, but a fellow soldier thought otherwise and ventured back onto the battlefield and dragged my grandfather to safety, and this is the only reason I am standing here today.
My grandfather did partially recover from his (GSW) gunshot wound and shrapnel wounds and returned home to Australia and was discharged in august 1919.
I am sure he suffered mental scars and as a lad of 12 years of age, I do remember well seeing the physical scars as my mother, his daughter dressed his wounds daily from shrapnel imbedded in his legs, shrapnel that could not be removed and pain he endured till his death in 1967.
The twist to this story is that the soldier (fellow ANZAC) that saved his life unbeknown to my grandfather was a farmer from New South Wales and lived near the small community of Wallabadah some 200km from where my grandfather lived but only 10km from where I was born and grew up.
My grandfather never forgot this soldier’s bravery who saved his life and for decades endeavoured to locate him but records were difficult to locate and much was lost in the fog of war.
Once my grandfather finally found out his location, he promptly visited Wallabadah to thank this Anzac for saving his life but sadly this soldier had passed away.
My grandfather did visit his grave to pay his respect and thanks for rescuing him from the battlefield.
This ladies and gentlemen is the true meaning of the Anzac spirit and mateship.
Lest we forget.”
Sean Hefferon
BLACK Dog Ride’s mascot is “Winston” named after none other than Sir Winston Churchill who wrote about being hounded by the “black dog of depression”.
Winston saddles up on a motorbike (or at least the handlebars) on the third Sunday of March each year for the Black Dog Ride Australia “1 Dayer” that sees motor bike
rides in every state and territory across the country.
And so it was that another successful Avon Valley Black Dog Ride was completed last
month when over 70 motor bikers rolled up to the Toodyay Hotel after a 130km bike ride
full of twists and turns from Kalamunda.
Rashelle Predovnik
TOODYAY is experiencing a housing boom like never before, with property prices soaring in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Known for its stunning views, spacious blocks, and incredible value for money, this once-hidden gem is now firmly on the radar – and just over an hour’s drive from the Perth CBD.
In the past two years, the area has seen an explosive housing market growth rate of 55.88 per cent making it one of the region’s hottest spots for homebuyers.
The median house price surged from $255,000 in 2020 to $530,000 in 2025, with some hitting the $800,000 bracket as more buyers flock to this sought-after destination.
Former real estate business owner Tony Maddox first came to Toodyay in 1990 when it was a quiet little farming town.
Toodyay Football Club
Patrick Thompson
THE MORTLOCK Football and Netball seasons get underway on April 13 with the first match on April away to Gingin.
Then after Easter we have our first home match on April 27 vs Calingiri.
It’s a new look football and netball lineup from previous years with a steady influx of new players joining the club over preseason.
We welcome experienced football coach Russell ‘Bomber’ Thompson who has made an immediate impact around the club.
THE LOCAL Toodyay Bakery invariably rises to the occasion when it comes to staff training as apprentice baker Jono Yates steps up for more awards taking out the gold medal for baking in the recent World Skills competition.
He also came out on top in the WA state round for the Baking Association of Australia’s Excellence in Baking Awards for the second year in a row.
This means he will be representing WA in upcoming national competitions in the above awards, jetting across to Brisbane and Sydney in a few months.
Jono said that competing in the competitions will expose him to new areas of the baking industry as well as provide the opportunity to mentor and network with other bakers around Australia.
If he snares the nationals then international competitions may be the next step so he may have to get that passport dusted off.
Jason Marion, Toodyay Bakery owner, is more than chuffed.
“I’m excited to see what Jonathan can achieve in the future as he has a real passion for his craft.”
Adding that he doesn’t have to do much to motivate him as he sees the opportunities in the baking industry.
Baking success is clearly more than just water, yeast and self-raising flour.
As Jason said, he provides the guidance for Jono and it’s “his hard work that has got him the recognition as one of the best apprentices in Australia.”
The ‘Worst Pace Scenario’ team. Front row: Tony and Rose Murfit, Dani Xuereb. Back row: Kelly-Anne Murray and Emma Thompson.
Saturday February 22 saw three teams swim 788 laps at the Toodyay public swimming pool. Elsewhere in town more than 30 participants
completed the Newcastle Park parkrun. Stirling Terrace was busy with visitors and locals alike. Photo: P.Thompson.
Last month’s Toodyay Shire ordinary council meeting saw a full public gallery.
The meeting now at the new time of5.30pm saw a number of questions from the gallery.
Including a question from Hamish Dobie, a Toodyay resident who asked about the future
of the local library and whether it is safe in the long term.
He prefaced his question by saying that it follows on from rumours in the community
about the library’s closure.
Shire President Cr McKeown said, reading from prepared notes, that council has no
plans to close the library, council has not discussed closing the library nor have
councillors discussed closing the library.
“The Shire doesn’t have any control about misinformation circulating on Facebook
and the rumours are untrue”, he said.
He added that the Shire budget for this year includes expenditure for $25,000 for
drainage, brickwork repairs and painting of the library building.
Cr McKeown said the Executive Manager of Economic Development and Community
Services is actively working on expanding the services provided by the Toodyay library.
Charlie Wroth, local farmer and former Shire President, asked a series of questions
about the roadworks on the Toodyay Bindi Bindi Road, or Bolgart Rd as it is known.
Mr Wroth said the road was virtually ready for sealing in early November as he was
carting grain on it at the time, but in what he believes was an issue with the bituminising,
tender work was halted.
