The Keilor Council requested purchase of the old site at Bowes Avenue, Niddrie, I was pleased to hear this because the building and surroundings were now unsuitable as a meteorological training establishment.

Kevin asked me to investigate the availability of Commonwealth land, say 10 miles from the centre of Melbourne. I got hold of the Commonwealth Land Gazette and toured around a full 360 degrees of Melbourne. I wrote up the advantages and disadvantages of sites until I came to Broadmeadows and the old Serum Laboratories and a beautiful parcel of land of about 30 acres on its eastern boundary.

I settled down and applied enthusiasm to this project, bearing in mind I was due to retire in four weeks.

First I had a building available to put a radar into immediately for training purposes and land suitable for the instrument enclosure. Well having all that off my mind I completed the drawings for the new training college and meteorological test area. However, I let my mind wander on the second drawing and thought why not bring the whole of Head Office out here, and I indicated the World Met Computers and the Director's office with the Training College in the background.

Well I came out with John Zillman, the Director, and John Mottram, principal Training Officer. I threw the drawings on the bonnet of the car and John Zillman was most impressed with the layout on the first drawing until he turned it over and saw the second drawing (I had not planned on him seeing that drawing). He said 'What . . . He has got me out here!'. I thought to myself 'gee, I have upset the apple cart'.

Bureau of Meteorology