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unusual facts about Windy Hill, Essendon


Windy Hill Fitness Centre

The health club was originally built inside the old Showers grand stand which formed part of the Windy Hill Football Ground.


1915 VFL season

Immediately the race was over, he caught a fast cab down Mount Alexander Road, Melbourne to the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he played a full game for Essendon in its round 6 match against South Melbourne.

1918 VFL season

In Round 14, Len Phillips of Essendon played the last of his 13 senior VFL matches, having played his first VFL match for St Kilda in 1914.

1924 VFL season

Essendon finished on top of the finals ladder at the conclusion of the round-robin final series on the basis of its greater percentage.

1929 VFL season

Clarrie Hearn of Essendon won the 1929 130-yard Stawell Gift in 11.9375 seconds (eleven and fifteen sixteenths of a second), off a handicap of 10 yards.

1943 VFL season

In the spiteful round 1 match between Essendon and South Melbourne, a vicious brawl broke out in the last quarter when South Melbourne's Jack "Basher" Williams felled Ted Leehane (apparently in a square-off retribution for Leehane's similar action against Williams in the 1942 Preliminary Final) which involved a dozen players, team officials, trainers, fans, and police.

1952 VFL season

Essendon winger Lance Mann wins the 1952, 130-yard Stawell Gift in eleven and fourteen-sixteenths seconds, off a handicap of 7¼yards; his team-mate, half-back flanker Norm McDonald, running off a handicap of 5 yards, comes second.

1956 VFL season

Essendon Third Eighteen footballer and junior champion athlete Ron Clarke, son of 1931 Essendon Best and Fairest Tom Clarke, and brother of Essendon champion Jack Clarke, lit the Olympic Flame in the 1956 Olympics' opening ceremony.

Albion–Jacana railway line

The only passenger services using the line are the daily NSW TrainLink XPT on the standard gauge line, and occasional broad gauge V/Line services during disruptions of the main line though Essendon.

Australian rules football in Scotland

Champion Australian Rules players who were members of the Edinburgh Australians Club over the next decade or two were Victorian premiership players RH Morrison, AB Timms and GF Read (Geelong); Colin Campbell and ‘Gus’ Kearney ( Essendon).

Australian-Croatian Soccer Tournament

The Australian tournament kicked off in 1974 with an event staged in Melbourne, Australia where six soccer clubs participated at Melbourne Croatia's ground Montgomery Park in Essendon.

Ben Darrou

He played along side Toby Greene, Sam Frost (GWS), and Hal Hunter (Essendon) for the Wesley College Football 1st XVII in 2012.

Buddleja davidii 'Windy Hill'

'Windy Hill' was raised from a chance seedling and introduced by Dennis Mareb of the Windy Hill Nursery, Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

Chris Waterson

Chris P. Waterson, (b. 1961), Australian rules footballer for Essendon and Brisbane

Courtney Johns

Johns was recruited by Essendon from East Fremantle (WAFL) playing in the colts, State U18s & reserves, until a career threatening fractured labrum in his draft year (2002 rookie draft) which kept him from the playing field for over two years.

Craigieburn railway line

In May 1919, Flinders Street to Essendon, along with the Sandringham line, became the first line to be electrified in Melbourne, apart from a test installation on the Flemington Racecourse line.

Dermott Brereton

This incident was in retaliation to a free kick paid against Brereton for kissing Essendon's Billy Duckworth while Jason Dunstall lined up for goal.

Edward Barry

Son Barry (1877–1959), Australian rules footballer for Essendon, real name Edward Barry

Essendon, Hertfordshire

Essendon Place was the seat of the Barons Dimsdale of Russia; Thomas Dimsdale was an expert on the treatment of smallpox by inoculation and in 1768 he was invited to Russia to inoculate Catherine the Great.

Essendon, Victoria

Essendon and the banks of the Maribyrnong River were originally inhabited by the Wurundjeri clan of the Woiwurrung speaking people of the Kulin Aboriginal nation.

Footy Classified

It was reported on 21 September 2012 that Grant Thomas won't be returning in 2013, Nine announced on 28 November 2012 that former Essendon Captain Matthew Lloyd will replace Thomas in 2013.

Gary Moorcroft

Gary Moorcroft (born 16 April 1976) is a former Australian rules football player for the Essendon and Melbourne Demons in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Gavin Wanganeen

Since retiring from football, Wanganeen has focused on business interests involving ownership of three Anytime Fitness centres at Modbury, Port Adelaide and Essendon.

Jack Clarke

Jack E. Clarke (1933–2001), former Essendon Football Club player and coach

Joe Misiti

Misiti was also part of Essendon's 2000 Premiership team, and after retirement, he became a member of the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century in 2007.

Martin McKinnon

He twice received the maximum three Brownlow votes while with Adelaide, for 23 disposals in a win over reigning premiers Essendon in 1994 and for 25 disposals against St Kilda for which he received an AFL Rising Star nomination in 1995.

Noel Pullen

Noel Pullen (born 9 December 1944, Essendon, Victoria) was an Australian politician, and was a member of the Victorian Legislative Council for the Labor Party.

Renton Millar

In an interesting aside Renton attended Essendon Grammar and shared the same year level as Curtis Stone - a famous chef, Shannon Bennett of Vue De Mond one of Australia's top chefs and Dustin Fletcher who is a champion AFL footballer, playing for Essendon.

Richie Thomas

:For the East Perth and Essendon footballer, see Ritchie Thomas

Ricky Dyson

For several years Dyson participated in Essendon's "On the Ball" program, which involved him and teammate Brent Prismall, as well as netball players Shelley O'Donnell and Bianca Chatfield, meeting with school groups and educating them on issues such as drug use and sports.

Robert Dimsdale

Dimsdale married Cecilia Jane Southwell and lived at Essendon Place, Essendon, Hertfordshire which was the family seat.

Rodger Corser

Rodger was also the lead vocalist in a 4-piece cover band called "Sideshow Bob" that played around a few Melbourne pubs during the mid-late 90s (1995-1996) – namely at places like the Royal Hotel in Essendon, Victoria, Australia.

Rohan Bewick

He is the son of former Corey Bewick, who also played for West Perth, and the nephew of former Essendon player Darren Bewick.

Ron Clarke

His brother Jack Clarke and father Tom played Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League with Essendon.

Ronald Evans

Ron Evans (1939–2007), Australian rules footballer, Chairman of the Australian Football League, and President of the Essendon Football Club

Royal Victorian Aero Club

While originally formed at Point Cook, in 1919 the Club transferred operations to what was then the Commonwealth Aerodrome (or sometimes referred to as St Johns Field) on Bulla Road in Essendon.

Specky Magee

He supports five AFL teams, something he cops a lot of flack for: Essendon, Brisbane, Collingwood, Sydney and West Coast.

Stephen Jurica

In the now famous draw against Essendon, Jurica kicked five goals and later in the season kicked four goals in a win over Collingwood to win a 1995 AFL Rising Star nomination.

Steven Alessio

Of Italian descent and named in the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century in 2007, Alessio made his debut in 1992, and was renowned as one of Essendon's great ruckmen.

Stinson Model A

On the morning of 31 January 1945 Tokana was on the Essendon to Kerang leg of its regular service when the port wing separated in flight between Redesdale and Heathcote, fifty miles north of Melbourne.

Tasair

Night freight operations were also conducted from Hobart to Essendon via Devonport, returning to Hobart via Launceston.

Trent Robinson

He is also the brother of the controversial and suspended Essendon High Performance Manager Dean "The Weapon" Robinson.

Waratah Football Club

Waratah players who have played in the AFL include Dean Rioli (Essendon) and Tom Logan (Brisbane Lions).

Windy Hill Fitness Centre

The health club was renovated in 2007 as part of a redevelopment by the Football Club with the Shower Grand Stand demolished, and the new gym built next to where the Essendon Bowls Club once had a third green.


see also