A competition was announced to design a suitable building for the proposed Melbourne International Exhibition in December 1877. Eighteen entries were received. The winner of 300 pounds was Joseph Reed of the architectual firm Reed and Barnes. The foundation stone was laid by Governor Sir George Bowen on 19 February 1879. Prominent Melbounre builder David Mitchell, father of Dame Nellie Melba, won the tender to construct the main building. Exhibitors were able to move in by May 1880. On 01 October 1880 the Melbourne International Exhibition opened, when over 6000 people entered the main hall to see the Governor, the Marquess of Normanby open the show. Thirty three nations participated and ofver 32,000 exhibits were displayed. At the close of the exhibition on 30 April 1881 over 1.3 million people had visited the exhibition. In 1881 Victoria's population was just over 250,000. The management of the Exhibition Building and eight hectares of the Carlton Gardens was handed to the Exhibition Trustees by the Melbourne International Exhibition Commissioners on 01 OCtober 1881. The Trustees maintained the building for 'future public exhibitions and ... general public instruction and recreation' until 1996 when management of the building was transferred to Museum Victoria. In 1901 when the Australian colonies federated there was no capital and no federal parliament building. The Federal Parliament moved into the Victorian State Parliament building, and the State Parliament moved into the Western Annexe of the Exhibition Building for 26 years. After World War One, on 04 February 1919, the exhibition Building was turned into a hospital to treat Melbournians struck down with the Spanis 'Flu'. Initially housing 500 beds, the hospital grew to accomodate 2000 patients. Femals were located between the concert platform in the western nave and the done; male patients occupied the spaces beyond. The basement was used a a morgue. With the departure of the State Parliament in 1927 the western annexe became home to the Country Roads Board. In 1932 it was joined by the MOtor Registration Branch, and the Transport Regulation Board in 1934. They co-existedin cramped offices until the 1960s. In 1949 the oval at the rear of the ExhibitionBuilding was leased to the Commonealth Government for the establishment of the Migrant Reception Centre. When it closed in 1961-62, the centre comrised 29 bungalows over 1.4 hectare. The centre provided temporary accomodation for thousands of new arrivals from Britain. On 01 July 2004 the Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens were inscribed on the World Heritage List. It is the only 19th century Great Hall to survive largely intact, still in its original landscape setting, and still used as a palace of industry. The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show is a flower show held annually since 1995 in early April each year, in Melbourne, Australia. It is located in the World Heritage Site of Carlton Gardens and the Royal Exhibition Building.[1] It is the largest horticultural event in the southern hemisphere, attracting over 100,000 visitors. It is rated among the top five flower and garden shows in the world. (Wikipedia)Colour photograph of the interior of the Melbourne Exhibition Buildings during the 2019 Melbourne Flower and Garden Show. Four mottoes are painted under teh windows of the dome: Dei Grecia (By the grace of God), Carpe diem (Make the most of the day), Aude sapere (Dare to be wise) and Benigno numine (With benighn power)melbourne international flower and garden show, carlton gardens, melbourne exhibition building, royal exhibition buildings

One of a collection of photographs taken of the Nunawading Railway Station prior to the lowering of the railway line and building of the new railway station on the western side of Springvale Road so that the Springvale Road Rail Crossing can be eliminated.Black & white photograph of he precinct surrounding the Nunawading Station and the Springvale Road Railway crossing. This photograph is of the crossing from Station Street. The liquor on the corner of Springvale Road and Oval way is in the background. See NP 3545 to NP3567 for the complete set of photographsnunawading railway station, springvale road nunawading, redevelopment of railway line/springvale road., oval way nunawading

With the re-activation of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) following the Second World War, the 16th/28th Infantry Battalion (The Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) was raised in 1948 to carry on the identity and traditions of the pre-war 16th and 28th Battalions respectively. The King's and Regimental Colours formerly held by these two battalions were passed on to the new battalion who paraded them in rotation on ceremonial occasions It was decided in 1950 that a new set of Colours would be presented to 16th Battalion. For reasons that still remain unclear, these were manufactured under local arrangement by "cannibalising" the original 1933 set of colours and transferring the devices and battle honours (in the case of the Regimental Colour) to the new Colours. (Reported by Western Command to the Adjutant General -reference file A 107/1/11 dated 30 April 1952). These new colours were presented by Major-General JS Whitelaw, CB, CBE at a parade of the 16th/28th Infantry Battalion held on the Esplanade, Perth, 26 August 1951. (For details of Colours previously presented to 16th Battalion see separate section below). 16th/28th Infantry Battalion became unlinked in March 1952 with both 16th and 28th becoming independent battalions within their own right. With the accession of HM Queen Elizabeth II to the throne in 1953, all Colours that had originally been presented as King's Colours, and were still carried by units on the current Order of Battle, were automatically deemed to be Queen's Colours. Under major reorganisation of the CMF in 1960, all individual infantry battalions that existed at the time within each State were amalgamated to form State regiments, taking effect from 1 July 1960. Thus from that date the 11/44th, 16th and 28th Infantry Battalions were amalgamated to form The Royal Western Australia Regiment. In September 1960, at a ceremonial parade held at Northam Camp, the Colours carried by all former battalions were handed over for safe keeping by the new regiment. Battle Honours for the Second World War were promulgated under Australian Army Order 135/1961 and the 10 selected honours approved for emblazoning on the Queen's Colour were subsequently added in 1962 These former colours were subsequently laid up in the undercroft at the State War Memorial, King's Park on 29 November 1964. These were transferred to the Army Museum of WA in 1988 as part of the Bicentenary Colours Project Previous Colours presented to 16th Battalion The designation "16th" was allocated to several different infantry battalions that had been raised at different stages during changes to organisational structure of the Citizen Forces during the 1920's and 1930's. The original King's Colour awarded for service of 16th Battalion (AIF) and received in 1920 by the Citizen Force unit 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment was later passed on to 16th Battalion (The Goldfields Regiment) which had been raised in the Kalgoorlie area in 1921. This unit became inactive and this Colour was later laid up in the Kalgoorlie Council Chambers. In order to maintain the identity of 16th Battalion as a Citizen Force unit, in 1930 11th Battalion (The Perth Regiment) was reformed as a linked battalion under the designation 11th/16th Battalion. As the 11th Battalion had already received its set of colours in the 1920's, it was decided that a set of King's and Regimental Colours be presented for 16th Battalion. These were presented by HE the Lieutenant-Governor Sir James Mitchell, KCMG at a parade of 11th/16th Battalion held at Perth Oval on 15 October 1933. The colours were consecrated by the Chaplain General, Archbishop COL Riley, OBE, VD, DD. In 1936 16th Battalion was re-established as a separate battalion within its own right, being formed as 16th Battalion (The Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia). The colours presented in 1933 were passed on to this new battalion and were also initially carried by the post-World War Two unit 16th/28th Infantry Battalion (The Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) as already mentioned. Union flag with gold fringe. In the centre the Arabic numeral "16" on a red background within a circle inscribed "SIXTEENTH BATTALION", surmounted by the Crown. Emblazoned on the colour are the following Second World War Battle Honours:- NORTH AFICA 1941, SYRIAN FRONTIER, THE LITANI, SIDON, WADI ZEINI, DAMOUR, KOKODA TRAIL, BUNA-GONA, LIBERATION OF AUSTRALIAN NEW GUINEA, BORNEO

Presented by Lieutenant-General Sir JJ Talbot Hobbs, KCB, KCMG, VD, LLD at a parade held on the Esplanade, Perth, 22 October 1927. With the re-activation of the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) following the Second World War, the 11th/44th Infantry Battalion (The City of Perth Regiment) was raised as a linked battalion in 1948 to carry on the identity and traditions of the pre-war 11th and 44th Battalions respectively. The King's and Regimental Colours formerly held by these two battalions were passed on to the new battalion who paraded them in rotation on ceremonial occasions. Under major reorganisation of the CMF in 1960, all individual infantry battalions that existed at the time within each State were amalgamated to form State regiments, taking effect from 1 July 1960. Thus from that date the 11/44th, 16th and 28th Infantry Battalions were amalgamated to form The Royal Western Australia Regiment. In September 1960, at a ceremonial parade held at Northam Camp, the Colours carried by all former battalions were handed over for safe keeping by the new regiment. These former colours were subsequently laid up in the undercroft at the State War Memorial, King's Park on 29 November 1964. These were transferred to the Army Museum of WA in 1988 as part of the Bicentenary Colours Project. Dark green with gold fringes. In the centre the battalion colour patch of a white over blue oval within a circle inscribed "FORTY FOURTH INFANTRY", the whole within a wreath of Australian wattle and surmounted by the Imperial Crown. In the upper canton the Arabic numeral "44". The following battle honours are emblazoned on the Colour: SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902, MESSINES 1917, YPRES 1917, BROODSEINDE, PASSCHENDAELE, SOMME 1918, ANCRE 1918, HAMEL, AMIENS, MONT ST QUENTIN, HINDENBURG LINE

Kodachrome Transparency - 35mm slide - cardboard mount, with one side with red border and words "Kodachrome Transparency / Processed by Kodak" top and bottom. Photo taken by Ben Parle 8/4/1958, date stamped onto slide. Has slide No. "13" stamped in red in top corner. Photo of Ballarat 30, outbound along Sturt St. West, opposite the City Oval. Note the lack of a centre line along the main highway. "Sturt St West" / "8-4-58"tramways, trams, sturt st west, western highway, tram 30

The Henty family and their descendants were notable settlers in Australia, initially in Western Australia, then in Launceston and finally in Victoria. While most family members settled in Victoria from 1834, others remained in England and in Tasmania. The identity of the sitters in this mid 19th century pair of portraits is as yet unidentified. The locket was purchased by the Society as part of a small collection of Henty memorabilia and portraits from the owner of Moorabool Antiques, Geelong in 2021, which had in turn acquired the item from the estate of Dennis Alston of Alston's Antiques in Hamilton, Victoria.Members of the extended Henty family were notable British settlers of southeastern and southwestern Australia. The connection to Kew (Vic.) is that members of the Henty family owned important mansions in Kew in the 19th century. Stephen George Henty's family lived at 'Findon', and Francis Henty of 'Merino Downs' in the Western District lived in his final years at 'Field Place', Kew. Numerous members of the Henty family are buried in the Boroondara General Cemetery.Small hinged locket made of tortoiseshell inlaid with mother-of-pearl, silver and gold. The locket is designed to be worn as a pendant. The two hand-tinted encased oval portraits are of an elderly woman on the left and an elderly bearded man on the right. The inlaid locket is probably Indian given the style of the floral inlay on the front and reverse. The portraits do not appear to be daguerreotypes, ambrotypes or tintypes and require further technical investigation.henty family, australia - early settlers

The Henty family and their descendants were notable settlers in Australia, initially in Western Australia, then in Launceston and finally in Victoria. While most family members settled in Victoria from 1834, others remained in England and in Tasmania. The identity of the woman in this 1920s studio portrait is as yet unidentified. The photograph was purchased by the Society as part of a small collection of Henty memorabilia and portraits from the owner of Moorabool Antiques, Geelong in 2021, which had in turn acquired the item from the estate of Dennis Alston of Alston's Antiques in Hamilton, Victoria.Members of the extended Henty family were notable British settlers of southeastern and southwestern Australia. The connection to Kew (Vic.) is that members of the Henty family owned important mansions in Kew in the 19th century. Stephen George Henty's family lived at 'Findon', and Francis Henty of 'Merino Downs' in the Western District lived in his final years at 'Field Place', Kew. Numerous members of the Henty family are buried in the Boroondara General Cemetery.Oval convex portrait of an as yet unidentified member of the Henty family. The unsigned photograph mounted on a metal backing is sepia tinted. It shows a woman, photographed at an oblique angle, gazing at the photographer. Her dress and hairstyle allow us to date the portrait to the 1920s.henty family, australia - early settlers

John Goold double Premiership PlayerA scrap Book dedicated to twice Premiership Player 1968 - 1970 John Goold Career : 1963 - 1970 Debut : Round 7, 1963 vs Footscray, aged 21 years, 338 days Carlton Player No. 754 Games : 108 Goals : 3 Last Game : Grand Final, 1970 vs Collingwood, aged 29 years, 90 days Guernsey No. 11 Height : 184 cm (6 ft ½ in.) Weight : 76 kg (12 stone, 0 lbs.) DOB : June 27, 1941 Premiership Player 1968, 1970 Carlton Hall of Fame All Australian 1966 A brilliant, flamboyant, two-time Premiership player for Carlton during the Barassi years in the ‘swingin’ sixties,’ John William Crosbie Goold became almost as famous for his dapper appearance off the field, as for his exploits on it. At the height of his football career, he was also a prominent ladies fashion designer – which led to him being dubbed ‘Mr Elegance’ by leading football commentator Lou Richards. Supporters and team-mates however, called him ‘Rags’ or ‘Ragsy,’ because of his involvement in the clothing, or ‘rag’ trade. Goold first came under notice as an outstanding junior athlete at Melbourne Grammar School. A true all-round sportsman, he shone at tennis, athletics, football and cricket. He was also a keen horseman who loved the game of polo and the rough and tumble of fox hunting. While at school he was a fervent Melbourne supporter, but strangely, never had much confidence in his football ability. “If I thought I was good enough, I would certainly have gone to Melbourne,” he said many years later. “But I honestly didn’t think I would ever amount to anything in this game. Cricket and tennis were the games that really interested me.’ However, after graduating from MGS, Goold went home to Healesville to star in the Bloods’ 1962 Yarra Valley Football Association Premiership team – an achievement that brought tempting offers from more than one VFL club. “Incentives were offered elsewhere,” he recalled, “but I gravitated to Carlton – partly because the deep blue of their guernsey attracted me, but mostly because of the good advice I got from people who even then were longsighted enough to predict that big things were ahead for this club.” The Blues were confident enough in Goold’s potential to offer him the guernsey number 11 previously worn with distinction by the likes of Jack Hale, Jim Knight, Ron Hines and Laurie Kerr, and his first senior game came in round 7, 1963 against Footscray at the Western Oval. He played on a half-forward flank alongside Brownlow Medallists Gordon Collis and John James on that Saturday afternoon, and kicked his first career goal in an 8-point win. Little did he know though, that it would be another six seasons before he would again experience the thrill of sending a football spinning between the big posts, because his future lay in defence. By his own admission, Goold struggled to find his feet in VFL football during his first two seasons, until the shock appointment of Ron Barassi as captain-coach of Carlton in 1965 began steering his career back on track. “I think you could say that 1965 was my first year of League football,” he said, “That’s the way I felt - that’s the way I reacted to Barassi.” Under Barassi, Goold rapidly developed into a superb running half-back flanker. Tenacious, and an often freakish high mark, he was unmistakable on the field thanks to his mane of dark hair, his loping running style and somewhat awkward kicking action. Furthermore, he had boundless courage. There is no doubt that he would have played many more games had he not been regularly pole-axed under the high ball – a fact he later freely admitted. “I was always getting knocked out,” he said, “and spent half my bloody time in hospital.” In the second half of 1965, an injury to centre half-back Gordon Collis forced Barassi to use Goold in the key defensive post. While it curtailed his rebounding instincts somewhat, ‘Ragsy’ rose to the challenge and rarely lowered his colours. Testament to his improvement, he finished third behind John Nicholls and Sergio Silvagni in Carlton’s 1965 Best and Fairest award, and followed up by being selected in the Victorian team for the 1966 Hobart Carnival. There, he had a superb series in which he was runner-up to West Australian Barry Cable in voting for the Tassie Medal, and capped it off by being named on a half-back flank in the All Australian team. Barassi’s influence at Carlton bore fruit in his third year, when the Blues returned to finals football at last. Richmond, Carlton, Geelong and Collingwood fought out the 1967 Premiership, and Ragsy Goold won the hearts of the Carlton faithful with two lion-hearted performances. Although Carlton was knocked out of contention by successive losses to Richmond and Geelong, Goold was tireless throughout both games, and it was obvious that he thrived on the added pressure of finals football. Precisely twelve months later, the bitter taste of those defeats was washed away when Barassi’s Blues edged out Essendon by 3 points in the 1968 Grand Final, and ended 21 years of despair at Princes Park. To win Carlton’s ninth VFL flag, the Blues had had to defeat the minor premier Bombers twice during the finals – and did so, thanks to a watertight defence led by Goold, and a dominant ruck division headed by John Nicholls. In round 5, 1969, Carlton hosted South Melbourne at Princes Park in a match significant for a number of reasons. As he regularly did, Ron Barassi swung his team around prior to the opening bounce, and Goold found himself in the unaccustomed role of ruck-rover. While the Blues set about establishing a good break on the scoreboard, Ragsy relished the freedom to kick two first half goals - his first majors for 78 games. Just before half-time however, he was flattened in a pack, concussed again, and replaced during the long break by Barry Gill. Alex Jesaulenko was substituted at the same time – by a shy, ambitious youngster named Bruce Doull, making his senior debut for Carlton in guernsey number 4. In September, 1969 the Navy Blues began their third straight finals campaign with an impressive 6-goal Semi Final win over Collingwood in front of more than 108,000 fans at the MCG. A fortnight later, Richmond stunned the flag favourites with a withering last quarter in the Grand Final, and knocked Carlton out of the Premiership race again at the last hurdle. Half-way through the year, Carlton's club doctor discovered that Goold had been playing with shin splints in both of his lower legs. The pain they caused was considerable, but Ragsy soldiered on and held down centre half-back throughout the season. John Goold’s VFL career at Carlton culminated in the fabled 1970 Grand Final triumph over Collingwood. What is not so well known is that Ragsy was only cleared to play in that game on the morning of the match. After narrowly losing to Collingwood in the second Semi Final, the Navy Blues destroyed St Kilda by 62 points in the Preliminary Final, and earned another shot at the Magpies in the decider. But one of Carlton’s problems was that Goold had been kicked on a shin against St Kilda, causing a burst blood vessel and serious swelling. Despite the best efforts of the club medical staff, Ragsy had only a slim chance of playing in the Grand Final right up until game day, when his worried coach reluctantly allowed him to take his place in the side. Later, Barassi justified his decision by saying that in his opinion, a less than fully fit Goold was still worth his place in the team. By half time in the Grand Final however, he was probably questioning that judgement - because Carlton had been totally outplayed, and trailed an impressive, cohesive Collingwood by 44 points. Therefore, Carlton’s magnificent comeback – orchestrated by Barassi, and sparked by the fairytale exploits of 19th man Ted Hopkins – is one of the greatest of all football stories. Against enormous odds, the Navy Blues fought their way back into the contest, and eventually, rolled over the top of the frantic Magpies to snatch victory by 10 points in the last few minutes of the match. Hopkins ended up with four goals, Barassi was hailed a genius, and Ragsy Goold was carted off to hospital immediately after the game to have further urgent treatment. While there, he decided that there was no better time to end his VFL career – especially because his burgeoning business interests were demanding more and more of his time. In the years after his football career ended, John Goold created a remarkably successful business empire. In 1971 he sold his fashion label and took up farming at Mortlake in western Victoria, where he coached the local football team for three seasons. Later, he formed a diversified pastoral company, and purchased a magnificent complex called Ballangeich Run at nearby Ellerslie. While his passion for farming and livestock grew, he began breeding top quality polo ponies, and represented Australia in international competition. During the 1997 and 1998 seasons, John's son Ed Goold played reserve grade football for Carlton. MEMORIES.... Ragsy Goold; the name stirs memories form my long ago childhood. Ragsy, with his unique kicking style, where he'd hold the ball (always a drop punt - in a time when the drop kick and the torpedo punt still reigned supreme) at the point of the ball, elbows bent and he'd lavishly drop the ball, his right arm then flinging back and up dramatically. That was the thing about Ragsy (so named because he worked in the clothing, or 'rag' trade), he was always dramatic. He always ensured his ankle guards and wrist guard were glowing white to match the great white CFC monogram he wore proudly on his chest, and with his long flowing locks, cut a dynamic figure through a young boy's mind. Ragsy was my idol. I loved his dashes from half back, his long accurate drop punts, most of all I loved his flair for the game. Ragsy played the game as an entertainer as well as a sportsman - he leapt high to punch or mark, and always seemed to have a bit of the thoroughbred about him - which is probably why after he retired, he took up fox chasing, polo, and riding his beloved thoroughbreds across the paddocks and over the fences of his property, I think he may have even represented Australia at the sport – really, that’s sort of how he played as a footballer. All sinewy muscle, long legs and famous leaps for the saving punch. Ragsy was part of the great backline that helped revive Carlton's fortunes. Legendary players Wes Lofts, Ian Collins, Kevin 'Racehorse' Hall, Vinnie Waite among them. All great teams have a great defence and the defence that Ragsy was an integral part of was no different. Where others provided the biffo, the muscle or the defensive pressure, Ragsy provided the dash, the flair, the sense of adventure that all great backlines must have. AND MORE.... I have had many favourite players while following the Blues, but there will always be a special spot for Ragsy Goold - running the lines, all long hair and flashing white guards. As a young man I moved to Carlton and began acting in a place called one-c-one. One night after a play, I was walking home. It was winter, and I was wearing my favouritte overcoat, a genuine ankle length tweed affair I had picked up in an Op Shop in Oakleigh for three dollars. As I strutted across Lygon Street, a deep male voice behind me called, 'hey laddie, how much for the overcoat?' I turned, and there was my childhood idol, Ragsy Goold, two beautiful women in tow, smiling and waiting for my answer. I loved that coat too much to part with it, even to Ragsy, so I shook my head - and he smiled, then walked off. I stood for a moment in the middle of the street shaking my head in disbelief. Ragsy bloody Goold had just offered to buy my overcoat! I knew at that point, as a young man of about twenty three, that life was going to be full of surprises and very entertaining - a bit like John ‘Ragsy’ Goold. ONE MORE.... A cold, wet day in the mid 1960's at the MCG and Victoria were playing South Australia (?) The ball that day was like a piece of soap, with players finding it impossible to mark. Just before half time a long kick sailed toward the mud heap that was the centre of the ground, and the pack rose to meet it. From this group of players an arm shot straight up, and the ball instantly came to a dead stop. The footy stuck in the player's palm as if the hand was coated in Tarzan's Grip. After all these years, it's the only recollection I have of that match, and that player was 'Mr. Elegance' John Goold. HUMOROUS HUNGRY.... Former opponent Richmond's Kevin Bartlett on Radio SEN in 2012 received a phone call from John. After the call Kevin told his listeners how "Mr Elegance" would always be dressed in a nice suit, shirt-tie and highly polished shoes. He then cracked a joke saying something like; "You know, John was so 'posh' that he used to play football wearing a cravat!" Milestones 50 Games: Round 15, 1967 vs Melbourne 100 Games: Round 13, 1970 vs Geelong Career Highlights 1965 - Percy Bentley Trophy - 3rd Best & Fairest 1966 - 5th Best & Fairest 1967 - Maurie Sankey Memorial Trophy - 4th Best & Fairest (on count back) 1968 - Premiership Player 1970 - 7th Best & Fairest 1970 - Premiership PlayerFoolscap Scrap Book

A now defunct Form 5A registration of playerA now defunct Form 5A registration of player of four time premiership player David McKay Career : 1969 - 1981 Debut : Round 3, 1969 vs Footscray, aged 19 years, 165 days Carlton Player No. 809 Games : 263 Goals : 277 Last Game : Grand Final, 1981 vs Collingwood, aged 31 years, 325 days Guernsey No. 43 Height : 191 cm (6 ft. 3 in.) Weight : 92 kg (15 stone, 0 lbs.) DOB : November 5, 1949 Premiership Player 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981 Carlton Hall of Fame (1996) One of the most spectacular high marks of his era, David Robert James “Swan” McKay was a Carlton star for twelve seasons, and a key member of four Premiership teams. Recruited from Newlyn, near Ballarat in central Victoria, McKay arrived at Princes Park in 1968 as a raw-boned 19 year-old. Coach Ron Barassi liked what he saw, and quickly realised that the laconic, easy-going country kid had the makings of something special after only a handful of games in the Blues’ number 43 guernsey. At 191cm and 95 kg he was robust enough to play in the ruck, while his exceptional aerial skills allowed him to hold down a key position. The problem was that he had joined the reigning premiers, so he wasn’t able to claim a regular place in the side until after the Blues were beaten by Richmond in the ’69 Grand Final. Early in the following season, McKay was given a chance at centre half-back, and took to it “like a swan to water.” Quick for his size and blessed with wonderful judgement, “Swan” soon became a crowd favourite. From that season on and throughout his career, it was only on rare occasions when the weekly televised football highlights package did not include footage of him drifting across the front of the pack to pluck the ball from the hands of an opponent, or leaping high over three or four sets of shoulders to take another soaring high mark. By 1970, McKay was embedded in the Carlton defence and hadn’t missed a game all season. After the Blues wound up second on the ladder, David experienced the thrill of a VFL final for the first time in his 29th senior match, when almost 113,000 fans packed into the MCG to see Collingwood beat Carlton by 10 points in a high-scoring Semi Final. Swan took 10 marks amid his 16 possessions that afternoon, and although his side was beaten, he revelled in the occasion. A fortnight later, after destroying St Kilda in a one-sided Preliminary Final, Carlton met Collingwood again in the Grand Final in front of an even bigger crowd. McKay was in trouble early against his taller, equally athletic opponent Len Thompson, but rallied after half time to get right on top as the Blues came from 44 points down to shatter Collingwood in the greatest of all Grand Final comebacks. Swan took nine telling marks and collected 18 possessions to be hailed as Best on Ground, before collecting the first of his four Premiership medals. One of the hallmarks of the Carlton teams coached by Barassi was their versatility, so as his career progressed, McKay started spending time up forward or in the ruck. From then on, when a game was in the balance and a goal or two was sorely needed, he was the man the Blues often looked for. He worked hard on his shooting for goal and became a reliable forward option. The 1972 final series must rank as one of Carlton’s finest hours, as the Blues fought their way through three hard, cut-throat games to meet the raging favourites Richmond in the Grand Final. In that remarkable encounter on a fine, cool day at the MCG, Swan lined up in a back pocket to cover the Tigers’ resting ruckmen and for once, lowered his colours to Richmond’s Neil Balme, who kicked 5 goals – but the Blues still won by 27 points and McKay picked up his second medal. In August 1973, Swan brought up game number 100 against Footscray at the Western Oval. Carlton won by nine points – thanks to McKay’s 13 marks in great game at centre half-back. A month later, the Blues and the Tigers met again on Grand Final day, and – still smarting from their surprise defeat the previous year – Richmond went head-hunting in a spiteful match. Swan was shifted forward early and kicked two majors, but neither he nor his team could match Richmond’s ferocity and the Tigers won the flag by 30 points. Midway through the following season, in round 14, 1975 - McKay was embroiled in another infamous encounter at Essendon’s Windy Hill – a game that saw eight players (himself included) reported. On a wet and miserable day dominated by a howling wind, Swan’s 22 disposals, 14 marks and eight goals won the game for Carlton, and making that victory even sweeter, he later escaped suspension for striking. By the time Carlton was knocked out of the finals in 1976 by straight-sets defeats at the hands of Hawthorn and North Melbourne, McKay was 27 and had racked up 172 games. But he felt he needed relief from the pressure-cooker life of a VFL footballer, so he agreed in principle to join WAFL club Subiaco. When he requested a clearance from Carlton however, the Blues steadfastly refused. Both sides dug in their heels, and some unfortunate headlines resulted before Swan relented and resumed training some weeks into 1977. In round 13 of that season, on a freezing cold and wet Saturday afternoon at the Junction Oval, bottom side Fitzroy caused a huge upset by beating Carlton by 7 points. In his 181st game, McKay took 9 marks, and his second goal of the game was the 200th of his career. McKay’s fourth Grand Final came in 1979 against Collingwood. By then one of only five survivors from the ’73 team, Swan was approaching his 30th birthday. yet still playing valuable, consistent football. In a close, absorbing match on a wet and slippery MCG that day, Carlton again won a nail-biter by just 5 points, thanks to Wayne Harmes’ famous swipe at the ball from a forward pocket in the last minutes of the game. The ball ended at the feet of Ken Sheldon, whose goal clinched Carlton’s twelfth Premiership, and McKay’s third. Throughout the majority of his career, Swan was a durable type who rarely suffered serious injury. That all changed in 1980 however, when he rolled an ankle, played on, and compounded the injury which hampered him for the rest of his career. Carlton made the finals again, but dropped out after successive losses. That was a bitter blow for the Blues, who promptly sacked coach Peter Jones and reinstated David Parkin. Because of his ankle, Swan missed a number of games early in 1981, but was back to near his best for the finals. Carlton destroyed Geelong by 40 points in the second Semi Final and marched into the Grand Final as hot favourites against Collingwood. In a typically fierce and physical decider, Collingwood led by 21 points late in the third quarter, before the confident Blues overwhelmed them in the last term - winning Premiership number four for Swan McKay, and flag number thirteen for Carlton. One of the goals in that vital last quarter came from the big number 43. It was his second major of the game, and his last kick in league football. Amid the jubilation of victory in the rooms after the game, Swan announced his retirement after 263 games and 277 career goals. He was a few weeks short of his thirty-second birthday and it was an appropriate way to end the playing career of one of the club’s favourite sons. Following his retirement, McKay stayed involved at Princes Park in a number of off-field roles. He was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame in 1996, and later became a high-profile critic of Carlton’s President John Elliott. When Elliott was voted out of office in 2002, McKay was appointed a director of the club under new President Ian Collins. During 1999 and 2000, David's son James McKay played eight Reserves games and kicked two goals for Carlton. Milestones 100 Games : Round 21, 1973 vs Footscray 150 Games : Round 2, 1976 vs Essendon 200 Games : Round 10, 1978 vs Footscray 250 Games : Round 9, 1981 vs South Melbourne 100 Goals : Round 13, 1974 vs Geelong 200 Goals : Round 13, 1977 vs FitzroyLetters & copy of form from VFL

"The dry stone walls provide a tangible link to the area’s white settlement, and they remain a symbol of the profound change in land usage from the original Kulin custodians to the European arrivals of the nineteenth century. The bulk of dry stone wall construction in Victoria occurred between the 1850s and 1880s. The gold rush of the early 1850s in particular inspired a flurry of construction. At this time, labour previously available for shepherding livestock dried up, as men gravitated to the goldfields to seek their fortunes. This necessitated the building of fencing to contain the district’s growing number of sheep, cattle and horses. An explosion in surveying, subdivision and the sale of Crown lands also contributed to a boost in construction. Government regulations that punished pastoralists for allowing their livestock to stray provided further incentive to fence-off previously open expanses of land. The major benefit of this type of fencing was that it utilised the materials at hand; the plentiful grey basalt that scattered the landscape. In the case of the dry stone walls built around Melton, the characteristic round or oval shape of the volcanic fieldstones on the western plains inspired some distinctive designs.54 Another advantage of dry stone walls was their ability to withstand the ravages of flood, fire and drought often experienced in the district. This durability accounts for the fact that many of these fences still exist today". Dry Stone Wall trail brochure/pamphlet for visitors provided by Melton Visitor Information Centrecouncil, landscapes of significance