Item MM 110762 Digital Photograph - Man Swinging from Crane Hook, Reserve Bank Construction Site, Showing Building, Melbourne, 1964

Description of Content

A man swinging from a crane hook, on a construction site. The site and another co-worker sitting on a pylon are visible. This photograph shows Antonio Bertolo, swinging from a crane hook from the Reserve Bank construction site, Melbourne, 1964. His daughter remembers: 'He was the crane driver. He had a good head for heights. He had wanted to be a pilot, but he didn't get to finish his education because of World War II. His schooling ended at age 9. He got into the construction industry, qualified as a crane driver and enjoyed the heights. He was crane driver for quite a few of Melbourne's significant buildings in the 1960s and 1970s. The year the Beatles came, Antonio had the best view of the Beatles and crowds, but at first he had no idea what was going on. He was sitting on the edge of the building looking down at to see what was going on, and he believes it was Ringo Starr who looked up, saw him and waved.' He liked to show his daughter Gina construction sites, and would take her around, explaining how a crane is raised up to a new building. When Gina goes through the city, she sees the buildings he helped build and is reminded of him.