Ernestine (Nesta) McKellar (1893-1986)

‘She never gave herself airs, never pretentious… [It was] normal to see her in old jodhpurs, gumboots, felt hat, a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eye sloshing back from feeding the chooks, the ducks and the horses.’

Ernestine (Nesta) McKellar (1893-1986), daughter of grazier Edward McKellar and his wife Grace Cumming, was born in Queensland in 1893 but lived most of her long life in the Kyneton area and Bell Park, Geelong North.

She had a long-held interest in history and joined the Historical Society of Victoria in 1918, becoming a life member the following year. She and her sister Catharine were also active members of the Kyneton Historical Society. Her aunt Jane Campbell McKellar (1852c-1936) was also a life member of the HSV.

In 1920, the McKellar family left their property ‘Woodlea’ at Pastoria near Kyneton for a 20 hectare farm, Bell Park in Geelong North, the site of a homestead built by early settler John Bell. Her father died there in 1925 and after her mother’s death in September 1944, Nesta and her sister Catharine donated the property to the people of Geelong for use as an aged care centre. In her memory, it was named The Grace McKellar Centre (now the McKellar Centre) and it still features part of the old homestead.

The sisters returned to Kyneton, set up home at a property they called ‘Glen Shira’ where they started a horse stud. Both sisters were generous philanthropists, supporters of the local Red Cross, lovers of animals, especially horses. As well, Nesta loved history, and after her death a collection of family portraits was donated to the State Library of Victoria in her name.

When she died in 1986 aged 93, her obituarist wrote that ‘it is doubtful that one could meet another like her in a lifetime’ and that ‘perhaps her most endearing and remarkable trait was her marvellous sense of humour, welling up, fresh, ready in adversity, and always, as in the words of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “A mirth that has no bitter stings.”’

Kaleidoscope exhibition text by Cheryl Griffin, February 2022. Full entry to follow.