Jan 2024, Kunyung Rd, Mt Eliza, Mornington Peninsula, Vic

The Moondah Gatehouse came up in conversation the other day whilst having coffee with friends and I thought it may be worthy of a sketch for my current project on local landmarks. Little did I know it would send me down a ‘rabbit hole’ of memories, so please bear with me.

For those unfamiliar with Australian aviation history, I’d better start at the beginning. Sir Reginald Myles Ansett KBE (1909 – 1981) began his transportation career by providing a car and later bus service in the Western District of Victoria. Eventually, and after a lot of hard work ‘Reg’ as he was known to all, founded Ansett Transport Industries. Ansett and TAA (Trans Australia Airlines) dominated Australia’s domestic air travel with Ansett flying for over 60 years. Other notable business interests of his were Pioneer Coachlines and the Hayman Island resort on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

For his family home, Sir Reginald bought a property overlooking Port Phillip Bay at Mt. Eliza and commuted to his city office by helicopter in the 1960’s. A symbol of his airline was the fact that Bayside residents could set their watches by the punctuality of Reg’s helicopter as it flew over each morning and evening.

In 1947 when the neighbouring property ‘Moondah’ came up for sale Reg purchased it and transformed it into the Manyung Hotel. In 1957 the property with its grand gatehouse became the Australian Administrative Staff College.

More recently Moondah, which is not clearly visible from the street, has been purchased by Ryman Healthcare and plans are underway to redevelop it as a retirement complex. And the gatehouse, well it looks to have been recently brought back to its former glory.

Note: Woody’s uncle was a close friend of Sir Reg and spent his post-war honeymoon at the Ansett family home in Mt Eliza. Which for Melburnians back then, was probably the equivalent of an invitation to Balmoral Castle.

Note 2: It was early evening when I was stepping off an Ansett flight from Sydney. The collapse of the airline that had meant so much to so many was imminent and concerned passengers were giving the flight attendants well wishes for the future. I headed home to sleep off a tiring business trip only to be awakened by my husband the next morning with news that would rock the world and eclipse the loss of our favourite airline at 2:00am that morning of September 12^th 2001 (Australian Eastern Standard Time).