Ballarat’s most influential sportspeople revealed with some surprises
With the help of experts in the city, we’ve compiled a list of those people who have influenced Ballarat sport over the past 100 years. Now, we reveal who has made the top 50.
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There are few, if any, regional cities in Australia which have produced the same calibre of sporting pedigree as Ballarat.
The names of the city‘s sporting alumni roll off the tongue and represent some of the biggest names in Australian sport … Moneghetti, Lockett, Malthouse, Payne.
In an effort to celebrate this extraordinary legacy, the Herald Sun has tapped into the minds of Ballarat‘s best sporting brains in an effort to compile the complete list of the most influential people in Ballarat sports of the past 100 years.
You can read part one and all about the process to identify the top-200 here with part two here and part three here.
Here is part four of the list, which features the top 50 in the 200 and the top 20 as voted by Ballarat’s best sporting brains.
These are the most influential Ballarat athletes over the past 100 years.
John Vernon, athletics
Vernon was one of the first Ballarat athletes to compete at an Olympic Games, making his debut in 1956. The high jumper also competed in two Commonwealth Games in 1950 and 1954 and had a person best of 2.019 metres. After his career ended he was influential in maintaining the Olympic Rings site at Lake Wendouree and helped redevelop it. Vernon was also one of the founding members of the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club and served as a president during his time. A stalwart of Ballarat sport.
Tony Benson, athletics
Benson has not only influenced athletics in Ballarat but has done it around the world as well. As an athlete, Benson competed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich in the 5000m and won gold at the 1969 Pacific Conference Games in the 1500m. He is also a record holder for Australia in the 2000m and 3000m. After his career the long distance runner became coach of both the Philippines and Australia in the 1980s and early 1990s before becoming part of the IAAF. With the peak body he lectured in difference continents about the sport and wrote a book called Run With The Best. A great of the sport.
Willi Sawall, athletics
Another famous walker from Ballarat. Sawall competed in two Olympic Games, in 1980 and 1984, finishing eighth in the 50km in Moscow. In 1978 he finished second in the 30km at the Edmonton Commonwealth Games. The walker is a seven time national champion, winning three titles in the 20km walk and four titles in the 50km walk. Sawall is a member of the Ballarat Harriers club.
Bob Bath, boxer
Bath, along with John Vernon, are the first two people from Ballarat to compete at the Olympics. He was in the 1956 Olympics at Melbourne and made the second round of competition in the men’s bantamweight in boxing. In his amateur career, he lost two bouts in 50 fights and won the Victorian title in 1954, 1955 and 1956 and the Australian Championship in 1956. In professional, he fought for the featherweight championship but lost in the ninth round, which ended his career. Born in Ballarat, Bath has lived in Buninyong his whole life and is in the Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame.
Allison Tranquilli, basketball
The former Opals player is a two-time Olympic medallist after winning silver in 2004 and bronze in 1996 with the women’s basketball team. Tranquilli played more than 250 games for her country. In the WNBL, the guard played more than 220 games for four clubs and won the rookie of the year award in 1992 and 1993. She also won the league’s point scoring in 1998 and made the All-Star team six times. Now based in Melbourne, Tranquilli is part of the Basketball Victoria and Basketball Australia Hall of Fame.
Barry Packham, karate
One of the leading karate masters in Ballarat. In 1971 he received his black belt and since then he has been promoted to 9th degree black belt. Packham is currently the president of the Ballarat Karate Club and is a two-time Ballarat Sportsmen of the Year winner. He is part of the Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame.
David Shaw, football
Shaw is an Essendon great, being part of the premiership success for the club in 1962 and 1965. From Ballarat, Shaw played for the University Blues before moving to the Bombers for the 1959 season. He played 177 games and kicked 55 goals, playing many roles during his career. After his playing career he kept being involved with the club and served as the Bombers president from 1993 to 1996.
Ken Kay, badminton
An influential person in the sport of badminton in Ballarat. The Ballarat Badminton centre is named in his honour and he was vital in helping the sport grow, which led the sport to move into the stadium it is at today. Kay was recognised in 1993 with the Mackenzie Award from the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Group for his contribution to badminton on and off the court.
Matt Wiltshire, athletics
Wiltshire won the Stawell Gift in 2012, winning from an 8m handicap with a time of 12.22 seconds. In a career which never took off after those heights, the Gift win was his most successful event. His win was also significant for the family after his grandfather almost won the race in 1958 but tore his hamstring during the final as one of the favourites. He is now a real estate agent.
Mick O’Neill, swimming
O’Neill was influential in swimming in Ballarat, helping to set up the Ballarat swim club. He coached some of the best swimmers in the city and started the traditional Tuesday and Thursday sessions. The swimming coach was also a major part of the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club, being a club member and former president. The award, the Mick O’Neill award, is handed out to the best junior swimmer in Ballarat for the year. He left a legacy to his sport.
Rachael Taylor, rowing
Taylor is a silver medallist at both the Olympics and World Championships after an international career spanning almost a decade. The Ballarat City rower won silver in the coxless pair at the Sydney Olympics before two years later winning a silver in Seville at the World Championships in the women’s eight. Domestically she rowed multiple times for Victoria in the heavyweight crew and the women’s eight, winning the national title in the eight’s in 1999 and 2000.
Rob Richards, rower
Richards is a world champion in rowing, winning in the lightweight eights at the 1997 event in Aiguebelette. The Wendouree-Ballarat rowing member also won silver at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, in the lightweight coxless fours. Domestically, he was part of the Victorian lightweight fours who won the Penrith Cup from 1997 to 2000.
Rod Fox, kayak
Fox is a former Olympic kayak racer who competed at the 1972 games in Munich. He competed in the K4 event over 1000m. A multiple national champion, he also raced at the 1970 World Championships. After his career, he coached Australia in kayaking at the 1985 world titles. Fox is a part of the Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame.
Bryan Thomas, canoe
The former St Patrick’s College student is a former canoeist who almost won a medal at the Olympic Games in 1988. He finished fourth in the K-4 1000m event in his only appearance at an Olympics. The canoe competitor also competed at the World Championships in Germany in 1987. Thomas last year was inducted into the Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame.
Graham Crouch, athletics
The former Ballarat Clarendon College student is one of Australia’s best middle distance runners. Crouch is a two-time national champion in the 1500m and held the Australian record for a period of time after breaking the previous record, set in 1960 by Herb Elliott, in 1974. Crouch competed in both the Commonwealth Games and Olympics and at the 1976 Games in Montreal he made the final in the 1500m. No other Aussie would achieve the feat for another 40 years after Crouch did it.
Drew Petrie, football
The Ballarat Football Club junior has played the most games in the AFL out of anyone who has come from the city. Petrie played 332 games in 17 years with two clubs, North Melbourne and West Coast, playing most of them with the Kangaroos. He is a club great with them, playing more than 300 matches and leading the goalkicking in five seasons at the club. In 2011 he was named in the All-Australian team and finished sixth in the Coleman Medal in 2012. A forward who could also defend and play in the ruck, he would kick 444 goals in his career.
Eric Waller, rowing
For more than 30 years Waller was influential as the president of the Ballarat Rowing Club. Waller helped the club to attract major events including the nationals. He also was instrumental in developing Lake Wendouree to a high standard for rowing and was also part of the committee organising Head of the Lake. Waller was also a president of the Victoria Country Rowing Association. His time created a legacy for rowing in the region. He is part of the Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame and one of the rowing boats at Wendouree-Ballarat Rowing Club is named in his honour.
Neil Titheridge, golf
Titheridge won an incredible 26 club championships at the Ballarat Golf Club during his career. He also won two club titles at the Victoria Golf Club in 1962 and 1987. Described as one of the best amateur golf players of his era, he won two state titles in amateur and represented his state three times in the Interstate Series. The BGC member also represented Ballarat at Country Week more than a dozen times and was a state selector for 14 years. He is part of the Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame.
Gary Gullock, rowing
One of Ballarat’s best rowers. He won silver in the two seat quad scull at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Gullock was also part of the Victorian team who won interstate titles in the sculling in 1985 and in the men’s eight in 1988, 1991, 1992 and 1994. The rower was added to the Victorian rowing hall of fame in 2010.
Jo Dash, netball
An influential figure in netball. Dash has been a major part of the Ballarat Netball Association for the past 30 years. She is a former president and current vice president of the association. Dash also coached the Ballarat Pride in the Victoria Netball League and previous to that the state netball league competition. Dash has been recognised for her services to netball with an Order of Australia Merit.
Jim Gull, football
A legend of the Ballarat Football League who kicked goals for fun with Daylesford when the club was in the competition. Gull played 21 games in the VFL for South Melbourne in 1949 and 1950 before playing in country footy. He joined Daylesford in 1958 and guided them to the premiership as player coach in 1961. During the premiership year he kicked 159 goals to break the record for the most goals in a season, which still stands to this day. He kicked almost 900 goals in the competition and was inducted into the Hall of Fame and made a legend in 2012 in the BFL. His daughter is Robyn Maher.
Peter Keller, tennis
Nothing, not even age, stopped Keller from getting to the top in tennis. Keller, who played junior tennis in Ballarat after being born in Clunes, is a former professional tennis player who played against some of the greats in the sport. He battled Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Arthur Ashe and Frank Sedgman at the Australian Open and was a member of the training squad for Australia’s Davis Cup campaigns. At home, he was the best player in the Premier State League for two decades and was also a Victorian junior champion. Keller then played seniors tennis and was the world number one for over 70s and an Australian champion multiple times. He is the Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame for his achievements.
Bob Davis, football
When you think of Geelong, Bob Davis immediately comes to mind. He was synonymous with the club during his playing days, coaching days and life after football. Davis was born in Clunes but boarded in Ballarat and played his footy with Golden Point before Geelong recruited him. A half forward flanker he played 189 games for the Cats and won two premierships with them in 1951 and 1952. Davis then coached the club from 1956 to 1965 in more than 100 games and won the VFL flag in 1963, which was the clubs last until their recent era of dominance. He is part of the team of the century for the Cats, was All Australian captain in 1958 and played for Victoria 13 times. After his playing career, he had a successful media career, being on shows including World of Sport and League Teams.
Darren Weir, horse racing
Weir is a successful Ballarat trainer who has had plenty of race wins in the past two decades. Born in Berriwillock, the trainer moved to the region in 2001 as he set up stables in Ballarat. Since then he’s trained more than 30 group 1 winners, won the Victorian metro trainer premiership, in 2013/14, and won over 130 million dollars in prizemoney. In 2015, he trained Prince of Penzance to win the Melbourne Cup. In recent times he’s not been involved in racing after being arrested in 2019 on animal cruelty charges after the use of electronic devices on horses, which he recently pleaded guilty to. Racing Victoria suspended him from all forms of racing for four years, with it ending in February this year.
Arthur Martin, athletics
Martin will always be remembered as the first Stawell Gift winner to win following a dead heat. The Ballarat salesman at the time won the 1947 Gift in a re-run after a dead heat during the main event. He was tied with a Coburg runner. Martin is formerly of Stawell and Great Western.
Greg Smith, wheelchair rugby/athletics
Smith excelled at not one but two sports in the Paralympics. After a car accident left him with little movement from the chest down in 1987, it wasn’t long before Smith found sport as his way of bouncing back. He first competed in wheelchair athletics and qualified for the 1992 Paralympics in Barcelona, winning silver and two bronze medals at the games. In 2000, in Sydney, he dominated in the T52 class, winning the 800m, 1500m and 5000m events in the T52 class. This was on top of his world championship wins in the same class in 1998. Smith also won the marathon at the titles in the T52 class. Not content with dominating one sport, the Paralympian competed in Wheelchair Rugby, winning gold in 2012 and silver in 2008. A star of the sport, Smith is an Order of Australia merit recipient and was the flag bearer at the 2012 games.
Ken MacKenzie, journalist
McKenzie was influential in sport in Ballarat in multiple ways. Firstly he was a distinguished journalist and sports editor at The Courier who covered sport in the region for many years during the 1950s and 1960s. He would write and be influential in what sports gained most prominence to feature in the paper. MacKenzie then helped form the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club, to recognise the best sportsmen and those contributing to sport in the region. In the first few years, the sports editor helped to select who would win the awards. He also served as a president and vice-president during his time. The MacKenzie award the club hands out each year to the best administrator is named in his honour.
Bill Henderson, football
Every year the best and fairest in the Ballarat Football League wins the medal named in honour of Bill Henderson – the Henderson medal. Henderson was a former president of the BFL and led the competition from 1943 to 1959. He also played for North Ballarat during his career and was president of their juniors from 1925 to 1929. The former BFL president was also involved in the Victorian Country Football League as a delegate for more than 30 years. He was known as one of the best administrators in the state. Henderson is a life member of both the BFL and VCFL.
Geoff Tunbridge, football
The left foot flanker is one of the greats at Melbourne and was just short of making their team of the century. The former Ballarat Grammar student started playing with Melbourne in 1957 and played 117 games for the club, kicking 129 goals. The University Blues player, who played for the club before the Demons, played in three premierships for the team before leaving the club in 1962. He would then teach at Ballarat Grammar until 1989. Tunbridge, before every single game, would eat a meat pie 30 minutes before the game to get himself ready.
Ray Bilney, cycling
The Ballarat cyclist is one of Australia’s best riders in the 1960s. He won three Australian amateur road race titles in 1964, 1965 and 1966 and was the rider of the year in 1965 and 1966. Bilney competed at the 1964 Olympics and almost won a medal, competing against legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx before winning silver in the 1970 Commonwealth Games. The national champion is in Ballarat Sports Hall of Fame.
20. Gerard Fitzgerald, football
The success of North Ballarat in VFL might not have happened without Gerard Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is the longest serving coach not only with the club but in the VFL, coaching 345 games with the club. He also guided them to three premiership titles in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The former coach was in charge from 1997 to 2002 and then from 2007 to 2015. A legend of the club. As a player, he played three games for Geelong in the VFL in 1977.
19. Peter Blackburn, badminton
One of Australia’s greatest badminton players. For more than a decade he was the number one player in the country. Blackburn is a four time Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and has won multiple times on the world badminton tour. He is also a four time Oceania champion, three times in men’s doubles and once in mixed doubles. After retiring, he became a commentator in the sport and has commentated at both Commonwealth and Olympic Games over the past few years. A great of the sport.
18. Shayne Reese, swimming
One of Ballarat’s finest swimmers ever. Reese is a World Championship, Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, achieving the feats in the 4x100 medley and 4x100 freestyle relay. In 2005 she won the World Championship gold in Montreal before achieving the feat again in 2007 in Melbourne. A year before, at the same venue, she won the Commonwealth Games gold medal in the same event. In 2008 at the Beijing Olympics the Ballarat swimmer won gold in the 4x100 medley relay. Reese is a star of her era. For her local club, Ballarat Swimming Club, she holds more than 100 records in all age groups in both short and long course events.
17. Anthony Edwards, rower
The Ballarat City rower is a five time Olympian, competing from 1996 to 2012. At the Sydney and Athens games he won silver in the coxless four while also winning bronze in Atlanta in 1996. In other arena’s, he won gold. In 2011, Edwards won gold in the coxless four in Bled and won Commonwealth Games gold in the same event in 1994. At home, he is a multiple national champion for his club, Ballarat City, and for Wendouree-Ballarat. For Victoria he helped the state to win the coxless four interstate title twice, in 1996 and 2010. He was inducted into the Rowing Victoria hall of fame in 2010.
16. Jim Murphy, journalism
Murphy’s influence didn’t happen on the field, but off it. He was The Courier’s sports editor for 30 years, from 1969 to 1999 and was involved in the Sportsmen’s Hall of Fame committee and the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Association. He not only influenced what made the back and sometimes front pages of the local paper but influence who was recognised for their achievements. Murphy also had a column in the paper, called Murphy’s Lore, which was famous in the city.
15. Brian Goorjian, basketball
Goorjian was only in Ballarat for two years but his influence not only helped the Miners but his coaching career. The champion basketball coach was part of the team in 1986 and 1987, winning the South Champion conference with the Miners before going on to having a successful NBL coaching career. All up, he won six NBL championships and was coach of the year six times. He guided three teams to the title. He is now the coach of Australia, guiding the Boomers to their first ever medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. His success in Ballarat led the Miners to claim the 1989 league championship and have an era of dominance in the 1990s.
14. Ken Eyres, football
One of the most influential people in the rise of the North Ballarat Football Club. In the 1970s once gambling was legalised he helped the club raise money through bingo. As the club built to be one of the powerhouses of the city, Eyres helped the team get a license into the VFL in the hope it would attract the AFL to Eureka Stadium. A few years later, with expansion of Eureka Stadium, now MARS Stadium, Eyres got his wish. The Western Bulldogs now play games in Ballarat, with help from Eyres.
13. Danny Frawley, football
One of the best players to ever play for St Kilda, Frawley played 240 games for the club over 12 years and was captain in nine of them. A tough defender who was agile and speedy enough to cause trouble for full forwards, Frawley made the All Australian team in 1988 and won the clubs best and fairest in the same year. He also represented Victoria and Australia on more than a dozen occasions. Frawley is a part of St Kilda’s Hall of Fame. After his playing career, Frawley coached Richmond from 2000 to 2004, guiding them to the preliminary final in 2001. In his later days before his death in 2019 he was in the media, covering the game for Channel 9, Triple M, Fox Footy and SEN. Born in Bungaree and nicknamed Spud as he grew up and worked on a potato farm, he went to St Patrick’s College in Ballarat before playing VFL/AFL. A great of the game on and off the field.
12. Rex Hollioake, cricket
A legend in cricket in Ballarat both on an off the field. Hollioake played for Railways and Mount Clear and represented Ballarat and Victoria Country. While playing rep cricket he faced the might of the West Indies, South Africa and England. After his career, he was president of the Ballarat Cricket Association for 27 years and oversaw a period of growth for the competition, some of which is still there today. Also a handy player at football, baseball, tennis and squash, Hollioake is an icon of sport in the region. The Hollioake Park Sporting Complex is named in his honour as is the Rex Hollioake Medallion, which is awarded to the best individual in a team sport, or a team in a sport, by the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club.
11. John Birt, football
One of the all-time greats for Essendon and was named in the 25 Champions of Essendon in 2002. Player as rover and other roles in the midfield, Birt played 193 games for the club from 1957 to 1967 and won two premierships with the club in 1962 and 1965. He was also best and fairest for the club in 1961, 1965 and 1967. After playing for West Torrens in the SANFL from 1968 to 1970 he came back to Melbourne to coach Essendon in 1971 before being as assistant to Footscray from 1972 to 1976.
10. Michelle Payne, horse racing
Not many people’s lives get made into films and for Michelle Payne it happened. Payne is one of Australia’s greatest ever female jockey’s and has done it all. In 2015 she won the Melbourne Cup with 100-1 shot Prince of Penzance and before that she was a four time Group 1 winner. She’s had more than 750 wins in her career and recently has become a trainer just like her father with Payne training more than 50 winners so far.
9. Russell Mark, shooting
One of the all-time greats in shooting. Mark might have been born in Hoppers Crossing but he was educated in Ballarat. The double trap shooter would go on to become the first ever competitor in shotgun to win gold at a Commonwealth Games, Olympics, World Cup and World Cup final. In 1996 he won the gold in the double trap at the Atlanta Olympics before winning gold at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in the double trap pairs 10 years later. He also won silver and bronze at both Games during his career. Mark is one of two athletes from Australia to compete at six Olympic Games. A star.
8. Michael Malthouse, football
You could argue the former North Ballarat junior is the best coach to ever be involved in the VFL/AFL. Malthouse had a distinguished career as a defender, playing 174 games for St Kilda and Richmond, winning the VFL premiership in 1980 with the Tigers. In 1984 he started coaching, joining Footscray before moving to West Coast in 1990 and starting an era of dominance for the Eagles. The team won two premierships in 1992 and 1994 and did not finish outside of the top six in the time he was there. Malthouse would then join Collingwood and achieve similar success, guiding the Pies to two grand finals in 2002 and 2003 before finally ending their 20 year drought in 2010 against St Kilda. The Ballarat coach ended his career with Carlton and brought up his 700th game of coaching during his time there. All up he coached 718 games, the most at AFL level, and is in the Hall of Fame with the AFL.
7. Ray Borner, basketball
A great of the sport who played more than 500 games in the NBL over a 20 year career. Borner played for Coburg, Illawarra, North Melbourne, Geelong and Canberra and won a NBL championship in 1989 with North Melbourne. The centre who played power forward later in his career also went to college in America, playing for LSU in 1981 and 1982 before moving back to Australia to play. The Ballarat basketballer is a four-time Olympian, playing for the Boomers at the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 games. He is in the NBL Hall of Fame and was given an Order of Australia medal in 2009 for his services to the sport.
6. John Northey, football
Northey might not have been born in Ballarat but he’s left a major legacy for one club in the region. Nicknamed the ‘swooper’ by legendary commentator and player Lou Richards for his ability to get the ball, Northey played 118 games for Richmond, winning two premierships in 1967 and 1969. He then coached in the VFL/AFL for more than a decade, guiding Melbourne to the VFL grand final in 1988 and leading the Brisbane Lions into their new era in 1997. Swooper is best known in Ballarat for what he did with Redan. As a player he helped the team win five premiership from 1975 to 1980 before coming back to the club in the early 2000s to save them and build the club into a powerhouse later that decade. Finally, in 2008, he coached Ballarat to the Ballarat Football League premiership. A legend of the local game.
5. Jared Tallent, athletics
One of Australia’s best ever walkers in athletics. Tallent is a gold medallist in the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics as well as the Race Walk World Cup. In 2010 he won the Commonwealth Games gold in the 20km before finishing second in the 50km race at the Olympic Games in 2012 and the Race Walk World Cup in 2012 and 2016. After those events though the winners were stripped of their wins for doping, which put Tallent on top in all three events. His four Olympic medals in all games makes him Australia’s most decorated track and field athlete.
4. Percy Beames, football and cricket
One of only a handful of players to excel at both cricket and football. Beames played for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield from 1933 to 1946, playing 18 times and averaging more than 50 with the bat. In football, the former Golden Point junior dominated in the middle for Melbourne. He played 213 games for the Demons, kicking 323 goals and played in three premierships in 1939, 1940 and 1941. Beames later coached the club, from 1942 to 1944, before leaving the club. Beames for his performances would be named in the Melbourne team of the century and the AFL Hall of Fame in 1996. Beames after his career became a distinguished sports journalist at The Age.
3. Robyn Maher, basketball
One of the greatest ever female basketballers Australia has produced. Maher dominated in the WNBL with the guard finishing in the top 10 in points scored in the competition. But it was her defence which stood tall. Playing as guard, Maher was revered as a defender and was often the best in the WNBL. During her career she helped her two teams, Sydney University and Perth, to make 13 grand finals, winning 10 of them. She also represented Australia at the Olympics, three times, winning bronze at the 1996 Games. She also won bronze with the Opals at the World Championships in 1998. Maher left a legacy in the game, which has been recognised since her career finished. The defensive player of the year is named after her in the WNBL with Maher also being named in the WNBL hall of fame, the FIBA hall of fame and the sports Australia hall of fame.
2. Tony Lockett, AFL
Lockett is one of the best players to ever play the game of AFL/VFL and his record of 1360 goals in his career is unlikely to ever be beaten. Nicknamed Plugger, Lockett started his career at St Kilda after being recruited from North Ballarat before ending his career with Sydney. He won the Brownlow Medal in 1987 and is a five-time All Australian. The full forward also represented Victoria five times in his career. Lockett was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 before becoming a Legend of the sport in 2015.
1. Steve Moneghetti, athletics
One of Australia’s finest athletics competitors. Moneghetti won four Commonwealth Games medals in the marathon, winning gold in 1994. The marathon champion also competed in four Olympic Games and won bronze in the 1997 World Championships. He also set the City to Surf record, in 1991, which still stands to this day. Off the track he’s been the mayor of the Commonwealth Games village for the 2006 games and in 2010 was the chef de mission for the Commonwealth Games in India. In 2014 he received the Order of Australia and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2021. The running track at Lake Wendouree, which goes around the lake, is named in his honour.
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