On September 25 1924, the Elders Weekly carried a story that announced the purchase by the State government of a farm in the Avon Valley for the "very reasonable" price of £14,000 ($28,000).
The farm consisted of 2222 acres (900 hectares) and the paper informed its readers that it was suitable for the "growing of cereal and fodder crops plus running sheep, pigs and dairy cattle."
The property was called Muresk and it was to be the site of "an agricultural college", with the added advantage that it contained a homestead that "with very little alteration can be made to suit the purposes of a college".
Notwithstanding a warning from the State's chief architect that it would require "the expenditure of at least £10,000 ($20,000)", on November 4, 1926 the Elders Weekly carried a story of its opening.
The paper, purchased by the Farm Weekly in 1990, devoted an editorial and six pages of text with many photos to the opening, noting that a special train had been run from Perth to Muresk to bring the Premier, Perth Lord Mayor and other dignitaries to the college for the opening ceremony.
This Sunday Muresk will be celebrating its 90th birthday at the site, once "owned" by the Department of Agriculture, then by the WA Institute of Technology which morphed into Curtin University.
It is currently under the control of the Department of Training and Workforce Development and offers degree courses in conjunction with Charles Sturt University in NSW.
During the past 90 years, students, originally only boys but later girls also, have graduated with diplomas, associated diplomas, plus undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.
Early students arrived at the college after completing Year 10 at high school, enrolling for a three-year diploma course, later changing to a two-year course after completing Year 11.
The celebrations will focus on the campus at Muresk between 10am and 3pm, where past students from a wide period will congregate to reminisce and celebrate.
