Robert Thomas McKay

Born in Tumut, Robert Thomas McKay enrolled at Sydney High in 1884 (pupil number 117) for one year. In that year he was in the original 1st XV and the cadet corps.

An engineer by profession, his particular specialisation was in water conservation and irrigation. Among his numerous appointments, he was Principal Officer of the Interstate Royal Commission on the Murray River (established to enquire into the just allotment of the waters of the Murray River and its tributaries among NSW, Victoria and SA for purposes of water conservation, irrigation and navigation) 1902-1903, and Commissioner and Deputy President of the Sydney Harbour Trust, 1922-1930. He also advocated using the waters of the Snowy River to supplement the Murrumbidgee River.

As President of the OBU, in 1925-1927, McKay conceived the idea of leasing 19 acres of swampy ground near the western gates of Centennial Park. The lease was entered in 1929 and the reclamation of the land, using unemployed men during the Great Depression, was carried out under his supervision. The 1933 history of the school records:

The work and efforts of Mr McKay in acquiring the Sports Ground have been tremendous. It was no easy matter to obtain the lease of 19 acres in Centennial Park … In order to accomplish this object, meetings, deputations and interviews were innumerable, whilst for over four years Mr McKay paid visits to the ground practically every morning to render assistance with his engineering knowledge.

The McKay Sportsground was named in recognition of his work. For many years he was an active member of the management committee for the ground that bore his name.

The author of the 1933 History, Hermann Wiedersehn said of him:

Mr McKay was a quiet-mannered man but his firm belief that he owed a lot to his old school inspired him to achieve for it the long wanted sportsground of its own. It was my privilege to be associated with Mr McKay over these years and his patience, consistency of purpose and powers of persuasion left an indelible impression on me. Subsequent generations at High since the construction of the McKay Sportsground owe him much.”

In 1955, he was one of four old boys whose fine record of service to High was recognised in the renaming of the School’s Houses.