Yackandandah's War

The news of the outbreak of war reached Yackandandah at midday on 5 Aug)-lst. Townsfolk were alerted by the ringing of the school and church bells. The news was greeted with excitement and a spontaneous patriotic parade took to the streets in the afternoon. The local rifle club declared itself ready to shoulder arms. The Council met, endorsed the establishment of a patriotic fund and voted £25 for the cause. The local paper, the Yackandandah Times, reflected local opinion with its call to the citizens of Yackandandah to serve the Empire in its hour of crisis. The women of the shire organized a patriotic concert and began to raise money for the war effort. It is likely that Andrew Fisher's pledge of the 'last man and last shilling' swung the vote for the Labor candidate, John Parker Moloney, who took the electorate of lndi for a second time.