General News
12 December, 2025
30-32 Miller Street, Gilgandra - a journey through the years
With the changing appearance of Gilgandra’s main street (Miller Street), it is timely to remember what has gone before.
Contributed by Shirley Marks
The site, where The GIL Library Hub is located, has seen a unique change of businesses over the years. Quite a large part of this change has been intertwined with the late Mrs Clarice Scholz and her family. Let’s journey through the years.
Beginnings of 30-32 Miller Street
Early records suggest that the site commenced its commercial journey around 1912 when W C Dewe’s Emporium operated from a rented store.
This store was then taken over by H M Garling until 1934, when Douglas Chain Stores Ltd opened its Gilgandra branch.
The store progressed quickly with many alterations and additions made.
In 1941, following a number takeovers, Fosseys (which was founded in 1921 by Mr A B Fossey who began business as a hawker in Newcastle) took over nine Douglas Stores in NSW, including the Gilgandra store.
When Clarice and her family moved to Gilgandra in 1950 she was offered the position of senior sales assistant with Douglas’ Chain Stores and so began her 34-year association with the store, which was later to become Fosseys, Target and Target Country, prior to closing.
In 1951 William Donald (Bill) Smith established the Central Stores at the site in Miller Street which is considered to have been Percy Walton’s second plumbing shop in Gilgandra.
This was a wonderful store where you could buy anything, including the kitchen sink! Furniture, radiograms, linoleum, cut glass, crockery, paint, nuts and bolts are only a few of the items which were on sale.
During the 1955 flood, as with all businesses on Miller Street, the premises was inundated with muddy water.
Central Stores recovered and continued to operate until Bill Smith retired in 1969. The premises was incorporated with Fosseys at that time, when that business expanded.
The 1955 flood saw four feet (1.2 metres) of water in the store, when the front windows of Douglas/Fosseys shop were smashed out and many thousands of dollars of stock was damaged.
Promotion and more responsibility for Clarice
Clarice was promoted to assistant manager in 1970 and manager in 1974. She worked long hours at the shop starting very early and finishing late and always went back at weekends.
During her tenure the shop doubled in size and had many refits and always the shop was profitable. Even though she worked hard and long hours she always had time to be involved in the community and family always came first.
Many members of local families were employed at Fosseys, often numerous members of the same family found work at this store as it grew.
Some of the people who worked at Stores over the years – first staff Douglas Stores included - Poppy’ Moore (nee Priddis), Jean Horner (nee Williams), Molly Norris (nee Cassidy), Don Priddis and Thelma Noonan (nee Finch).
Others include: Beryl McKenzie, Lorna Monaghan (who retired after 15 and a half years), Elva Fyfe, Terri-Lee Swann, Donna Weston, Leisa Knight (Scotti), Kevin Hudson,Tanya Moss, Bill Edgar, Margaret Barter (Nangle), Clarice Scholz, Barbara Wakefield, Barry Nangle, Kathleen Thompson, Margaret Alchin (Walton), Pearl Gorrie, Patricia Towney, Sharon McKechnie, Emmy Edgar, Jenny McReaddie, Pat Lummis, Shiralee Parker (Bone), Ben Adams, Karen Howard, Tatum Brennan, Pat Bunner, Tracey Collison (Tate), and Paula Schembri - the list could go on and on...
Clarice not only promoted the business she managed, she was involved as an executive member of many community organisations, including the Chamber of Commerce when she promoted all business houses.
New, bigger, store in 1974
The year was 1974 and a there was a new store. Clarice was very enthusiastic about her new store which had a selling area of almost double the old store. ‘”In the old store we had stock packed to the ceiling, but with all this extra space we will be able to offer much better service to the many customers who have given us such wonderful support over the years,” she said.
Clarice added that Fosseys buyers operate from a central buying office and were constantly in touch with the keen markets and latest trends. When asked if there would be any change in company policy, dealing only in cash or lay buys rather than credit or budget accounts, she said it was the customer that counted and there would be no interest on layby accounts, with the customer not paying any more than the actual purchase price.
“The customer is a VIP in a Fosseys store, and the staff are here to help customers make shopping a pleasure,” she concluded.
During these years she went through the change to decimal currency and the beginning of the computer age, which she accepted willingly unless it meant the loss of jobs for her staff.
When she was almost 70-years-old, Clarice decided to relinquish her position as manager of Fosseys to spend more time with family, which had increased from two daughters to six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren and to pursue her other interests, including Quota Club, Youth Club, teaching yoga and ballroom dancing.
Well-known local Bill Edgar took over as manager of Fosseys on Clarice’s retirement.
Bill had been with Fosseys for at 16 years and had previously worked at Myers Gilgandra, which later became the Department Store, for 14 months prior to commencing with Fosseys. Clarice’s recommendation for Bill to become manager was taken up by the firm.
Further renovations in 1994
In 1994 Gilgandra’s Fosseys store again took on a new look following extensive renovations. Over the years many activities were supported and awards won.
In December 1995 Bill retired as manager at Fosseys after 28 years. At that time it was reported “The occasion also saw the severing of a unique family link with Fosseys. The Edgar and Scholz families have between them, provided 92 years of service to the community through the store”.
New manager, Beryl McKenzie, a member of the Scholz family, will continue the link with Fosseys.
The picture of Target’s arrival was front page news in The Gilgandra Weekly dated October 31, 2000 – a big day for staff and Gilgandra. It was a very positive step for the community, manager Beryl McKenzie said.
She and her mother Clarice, who cut the ribbon to open the revitalised store, agreed that over the years the Fossey’s store had experienced many ups and downs, with highs and lows and many, many changes.
The store had gone through numerous refits and redesigns, however none was big as this one. Staff members have come and gone, stock has changed and many new ideas had been suggested and tried, none as exciting as the arrival of the Target Country store.
This store offered a greater variety of stock and brands and will encourage more people to shop locally and help keep business in town.
In 2002 Beryl McKenzie retired as manager of Target Country Gilgandra, bringing to an end the Scholz family’s to year association with the store. Beryl started as a casual Fosseys employee 25-years-ago.
She went from casual to permanent part-time to full-time manager over that period. The store became a big part of Beryl‘s life for a very long time. As work had taken up about 90 per cent of Beryl’s time she was looking forward to retirement and spending time with her family including her many grandchildren and her plan was also to become a ‘cricket groupie’. However she had no plans to leave Gilgandra as she said: “I couldn’t imagine being or living anywhere else”.
At the time of Beryl’s retirement, Target Country was to be managed by existing staff members, to be overseen by Target Dubbo.
Mrs Shiralee Bone became manager and the store continued to run efficiently and appeared to be a profitable business, which attracted customers from surrounding town.
Sad news in 2019 with closure of Target
However the community was extremely disappointed when it was announced that Target Gilgandra would be closing on July 6, 2019. Prior to this date the building was on the market and by October 2019 it was announced that Gilgandra Shire Council had purchased it. Renovations were commenced at the Coo-ee Heritage Centre (CHC) and the information centre was transferred to the Target site.
Also incorporated at this location was the opportunity for artists and craftspeople to display their art works and products for sale. This appeared to work very well and visitors were attracted to this building in the centre of the main street. The CHC was completed and the information centre moved back to that site. Beryl is now a resident of Coo-ee Lodge however, still takes a keen interest in all things ‘Gilgandra’. At Coo-ee she frequently conducts exercises for the residents, organises and calls bingo and assists with other activities. She also has a much expanded family to keep up with! What a great legacy she and her mother have provided for the business community of Gilgandra and there are many more tales to tell!
The GIL Library Hub
After three years of renovations, the $6.1 million library hub was opened for use on Monday, March 3, 2025.
The opening was officially celebrated on September 29, 2025, with locals, community groups, businesses, library members, volunteers, staff, and councillors gathering in the Library Hub Plaza adjacent to the new facility to dedicate the building.
The library and plaza have been used by a number of groups since opening in March and is now the site of the 2025 town Christmas tree and Shop Local Draws.
