Have you ever noticed the gold letters on the gates at Melba Park?
Right in the centre — a D and an M.
Most people walk by without giving them a second thought, but those letters have a story behind them that shaped not just Lilydale, but parts of Melbourne as well.
The gates were put erected by Dame Nellie Melba in 1928.
But this isn’t her story.
This is about the man she built those gates in honour of, her father, David Mitchell.
David didn’t start out with much.
But he had big ideas and the drive to make things happen.
He moved to Lilydale and quickly became involved in local life.
By 1875, he was on the Shire Council, and a few years later, he was elected Shire President.
While serving on council, David heard mention of land with limestone at Cave Hill.
He bought the property, not just to build, but to supply the materials for building.
In 1878, he opened the Marble and Limestone Quarries at Cave Hill and on the farm started a dairy, made cheese, butter, and milk, ran a piggery, and even sold Cave Hill brand soap.
His stone and lime went into some of Melbourne’s iconic buildings, including Scots Church, the Law Courts and the Menzies Hotel, the Presbyterian Ladies College in East Melbourne, even St Patrick’s Church right here in Lilydale.
His grandest accomplishment was the construction of the Royal Exhibition Building, which became the first Australian building to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.
His other business interests included a property on Steel’s Flats outside of Lilydale, St Hubert’s Winery and farm and a sugar plantation in Queensland.
He worked hard, hired the right people, and never cut corners, he built an Empire.
By 1856, he was one of the colony’s top contractors, actively supporting the Eight Hours Movement, a pretty radical idea back then: eight hours work, eight hours recreation, and eight hours sleep.
David Mitchell died in 1916, but his mark is still here. In his buildings and right there on the gates of Melba Park.
So next time you walk through those gates, take a second to look at those golden letters — D.M. They don’t just mark an entrance.
They mark the legacy of a man who built more than buildings. He built our future.
If you are interested in discovering more about the Lilydale’s past, visit our website at lilydalehistorical.com.au or email: info@lilydalehistorical.com.au
