Biography
Born: 20 September 1928
Died: 7 November 2007
Grave Location: Tanderra Lawn, Section LWN, Grave 124
Achievements
In a career spanning no less than five towns and as many as 560 games and 1000 goals, Jim Gull became one of the Victorian country’s most decorated footballers.
His footballing began in the South Mallee at Kenmare, where he won the best and fairest award at 16. South Melbourne recruited him in 1949, but he would get only a two-year stint in the VFL, for 21 games and 20 goals, before three broken ribs forced him to leave.
After a stint at Rupanyup, where he won the Wimmera Football League’s best and fairest in 1953, he joined Daylesford in the Ballarat Football League in 1958 and dominated the field for the best part of more than ten seasons.
His 889 goals at Daylesford made him the leading goal kicker in the league in eight seasons between 1958 and 1968. 1961 was undoubtedly Gull’s greatest season, as he captain-coached the Demons to their maiden premiership and kicked 159 goals over the season, a BFL record which still stands, and was named Ballarat Sportsperson of the Year. His son, Stewart, also went on to play with South Melbourne, and his daughter, Robyn Maher, won bronze with Australia in women’s basketball at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Posthumously, Jim Gull was among the first inductees to the Ballarat Football League Hall of Game in 2008, then named a ‘Legend’ in 2010.
Did you Know?
James Gull (20 September 1928 – 07 November 2007) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League. Gull was a prolific centre half-forward in Victorian country football, especially in the Ballarat Football League, where he played for Daylesford.
He was inducted into the Ballarat Football League’s Hall of Fame posthumously in 2012, with the award accepted by his son, Stewart Gull.
He died at the age of 79, and his ashes were interred in the beautiful Tanderra Lawn location, which is named after an Australia Aboriginal term meaning “resting place”. This peaceful area features plantings of trees and shrubs that transform with the changing seasons and lush lawns.
His memorial, which he shares with his wife Alwynne Hilda (Keam) Gull, is a classic ogee top headstone in natural granite adorned with gold lettering and featuring built-in flower vases.
