John Bertrand celebrity print 1983

Summary

This concrete handprint was formerly located as a part of the iconic McEwans celebrity pavement. Between 1972 and 1994, scores of celebrities had their handprints and footprints immortalised in cement at the entrance to the McEwans hardware store on Bourke Street. The City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection acquired a number of these impressed concrete slabs from the original celebrity pavement in 2005.

"John Bertrand (born 1946) was skipper of Australia II, winner of the America's Cup yacht race 1983. It was the first time the Cup had been won from the Americans in the race’s 139-year history. Celebrating the victory, Prime Minister Bob Hawke declared that any boss who sacked an employee for not showing up to work that day was ‘a bum!" - Robyn Annear, 2023