Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 21 May 1892, the footballing community experienced one of the greatest tragedies in the history of our game. Fifteen men of the Mornington Football Club lost their lives during a freak storm as they were returning by boat from a game against Mordialloc. Records note that the boat was sighted passing Frankston, yet when it had not returned to Mornington by 3 am, the alarm was raised and search boats were dispatched to scour the coastline. Signs of the devastation were found near Pelican Point in Mount Eliza. There were no survivors and only one body was ever recovered. Three of the victims were the Caldwell brothers—Jim, 21; Willie, 19; and Hugh, 17—the three sons of local Presbyterian Reverend James Caldwell.

Charity football games were organised and funds raised for the victims' families. They are remembered on a monument at the end of Main Street in Mornington and, 125 years on, I was honoured to join with the community and the relatives of those lost, who came from as far as WA, in a touching tribute to the young lives lost so prematurely. I would like to thank the Mornington District Historical Society and their president, Diane White; members of the Mornington Football Club; the member for Mornington Mr David Morris; Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor, Councillor Bev Colomb; ABC presenter Paul Kennedy; and countless others who have kept alive the story and memories and made this special day possible. It was a lovely memorial in honour of the 15 men who lost their lives 125 years ago.