Historical information

Toolern Vale and Coimadai are small communities near Bacchus Marsh and Melton. The two small communities combined to form an Australian Rules football club around the early 1920s. The club name appears in the Bacchus Marsh and Melton local newspapers during football seasons between 1924 and 1930. In 1928 the club were premiers in the Junior division of the local football association. The Junior division was not an under age competition but a lower level competition than the main or senior level local competition. Toolern Vale-Coimadai defeated Darley by nine points in the 1928 Grand Final. A very detailed report of the premiership game was published in Bacchus Marsh Express on 1st September 1928, page 4.

Significance

This image appears to be a rare example of a photograph of a football team representing the Toolern Vale-Coimadai district. It is an import documentary record of football in a small community.

Physical description

A black and white photograph print mounted on mounting board, showing a group of 24 men arranged in three rows along side a grandstand. Eighteen men are in football guernseys, six in civilian clothes. Board and print are split top to bottom, and a small part of the image is missing due to a tear.

Inscriptions & markings

At bottom of photo: 'Toolern Vale J.F.B Club' and written in dark ink and barely legible is '& Coimadai'
On the reverse in pencil: 'Premiers; A. Cairns'