MINOGUE is a surname made famous by Kylie, first in Australia as a star in popular soap opera Neighbours and later as a singer achieving world-wide fame with record hits.
And now, a Kilmore family is also adding the Minogue surname to the record books.
Sixty-plus descendants of a local farming dynasty will gather on Saturday, April 18, to celebrate the momentous 150th anniversary of its connection to the land on the outskirts of Kilmore.
On the day, family members of Matthew and Bridget Minogue will gather on the site of their original family home of the year 1876 known as “Kia Ora” on the Northern Highway (formerly known as McIvor Road) to celebrate the Minogues’ era and continuous connection with the land.
Matthew, from County Clare, and Bridget, born in County Tipperary, both migrated from Ireland early in the 1800s. Matthew arrived in the Kilmore area about 1865. He married Bridget Kennedy from Lancefield in 1870 and he bought his first block of land on the McIvor Road in April 1876.
Matthew and Bridget had 10 children – five girls and five boys. Matthew began farming, and kickstarted the family’s long association with the area.
As their family grew Matthew bought more land on the north side of the road. He died in 1915 aged 86 from bronchopneumonia and heart failure.
In 1918, it was reported in the Kilmore Free Press that the Ghera State School which had been closed for some time due to low enrolments was sold. The Minogue family bought the building on a dirt road called Schoolhouse Lane. They transported it down the road and added it to the original dwelling and it became part of their family home. Unfortunately the family home at “Kia Ora” was destroyed by a fire in November 1959.
Phil Minogue, Matthew’s great-grandson, who was born at the farm and still lives there, is the key organiser of the milestone celebrations.
Phil told the Review that continuously for 150 years, a Minogue family member has lived on the farm on the Northern Highway about 4 kilometres north of Kilmore.
“I still live on the actual farm. Pretty amazing that on that part of the Northern Hwy just out of Kilmore, there’s always been a Minogue living on the farm for the whole of 150 years,” he said.
Phil’s parents Joan and Bryan Minogue, who were the last ones to live there before the fire, had six children. After the fire, Phil’s parents bought another 60 acres a little bit further down the road and the family moved to that farm with a house.
“The whole idea is to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Matthew coming from Ireland to that block of land and farming here,” Phil said.
Phil, who worked for Qantas for 30 years, and now works in Kilmore, said: “The crowd or the mob that will be there for the anniversary are Joan and Bryan’s six siblings and their extended families. Joan and Bryan were the last owners of that farm. Bryan was Matthew’s grandson.”
Phil said 63 members comprising six generations of the Minogues will attend the celebrations.
On April 18 morning, all will visit the Kilmore Catholic Cemetery and pay respects at the graves of Matthew and all their grear-grandparents and great-great-grandparents.
Later, there will be an unveiling of a plaque marked ‘Kia Ora’ at the original site of Matthew and Bridget’s home, and the family members will enjoy the afternoon together.