At last month's Cooma Men's Probus meeting, members enjoyed an informative and engaging talk from Probus member, John Mooney.

John's memories and tales of growing up in Cooma were recently well received by Cooma Men’s Probus. His recollections were:

- Cooma's population in 1950 as 2,500 residents.

- The Snowy Scheme was officially opened in October 1949. The temporary Snowy head office was next to St Patrick's Primary School, now the Cooma Ex-Services Club.

- John remembered one of Cooma's heaviest snowfalls in 1949, he believed it could have been 18 inches.

- The first of the Snowy houses were built in 1950 in Adina Street, off Mittagang Road.

- Cooma's population exploded with workers arriving in town and the region. Workers came from across the world. By 1963, Cooma's population had grown to 9,100.

- The two schools could not handle the growth and by 1956, Monaro High, Cooma North and Cooma East schools had been built.

- The town was thriving and growing by the early 1960s. There were around 15 motels when it was known as the gateway to the Snowy Mountains.

- By 1963, John had left school. Cooma then had five nightclubs with wine, dine and dancing, and bands. The workers from the region and locally would support these nightclubs.

- John visited his first nightclub when he was 18, the Lido in Bombala Street. The building is now known as Martin's Place or Schoo's. John said the nightclub was packed.

- Other nightclubs included the Savoy were Mack's is today. The Pasha was in Sharp Street where the camping store is, the Safarie Room was upstairs above China Town, the Cortina was next to Last and Maxwell.

- Three of Cooma's hotels had dancefloors and music.

- By 1974, the Snowy was winding down, finished on time and under budget. As a result, the Snowy began selling their vacant homes in Cooma for a bargain price of $3000. This sell off continued for ten years or more.

A number of events that still stick in John's mind from his days growing up and going to school.

- The big snowfall in 1949, maybe two feet of snow or more, with people skiing on the common east of the railway.

- The big flood in 1956 with flood water reaching the bakery, now the Cooma Visitors Centre and up to the Cooma Hotel.

- The Festival of the Snows, run over several years to raise money to build the Cooma Festival Swimming Pool.

- The making of the movie The Sundowners 1959/60. The Royal Arms at Nimmitabel featured.

- The fabulous trout fishing in Lake Eucumbene as it was filling with his first trip when aged 15, four fish weighing a total of 28lbs or 7kilo’s.

- All the new Australians, mainly Italians and Europeans that made up big numbers in the classroom during his schooling.

Probus members thanked John for his interesting talk. Probus is fun and friendship in retirement, all welcome. Probus meets at 10.15am at the Cooma Ex-Services Club on the second Tuesday of the month.