5 / 148 Windsor St , RICHMOND
LOCAL LIFE
PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE
Windsor Wolves honour
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Chris Walker ( ball in hand ) is pictured in the mid-80s flanked by his sons , Brooke and Todd , with brothers Bernie ( l ) and Graham ( r ) pictured in the early 80s .
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KitchenCornerRichmond by Greg Martin
The most famous Chris Walker I had known for most of my long life was The Phantom – “ The Ghost Who Walks ” – comicstrip genius , Lee Falk ’ s creation which he birthed in 1936 .
But for folk in the Hawkesbury , particularly those who love and still believe Rugby League is the “ Greatest Game of All ”, there ’ s another Chris Walker whom they revere as much as the fictional crime fighter .
Our Chris Walker just celebrated his 72nd birthday at his home in the Northern Rivers region where he and his wife of 47 years , Pam , have resided since 1991 .
The family first settled in Malkanganee before moving to their current home in Casino - a long way from Windsor where for four decades Chris Walker , his sons , brothers and nephews handed out their special kind of justice to rival football teams .
To say the Walker clan could play footy is to say Fred Astaire could dance and Muhammad Ali could box !
Chris and his four brothers , Graham , Bernie , Dallas and Charlie , Bernie ’ s sons Ryan , and current South Sydney Rabbitoh and NSW State of Origin representative , Cody , all pulled on Windsor jerseys .
Chris ’ two boys , Brooke and Todd also proudly wore the Windsor Wolves green and gold jumpers .
The catalyst for the Aboriginal family ’ s deep involvement with Windsor Wolves began in 1971 when 20-year-old Chris rocked up to Wolves training , impressed all and sundry with his footy skills and was quickly thrust into the first-grade team .
Chris had arrived in the Hawkesbury late the previous year from Baryugil where the young man had worked in an asbestos mine after his uncle and aunt , Dennis and Theresa Cavanough , invited him to their home at Colo Heights .
“ I ’ d had enough of toiling in an asbestos mine and jumped at my aunt and uncle ’ s invitation to link with them at their home and search for a better job ,” Chris explains .
Back up north , Chris was a star player with the local Red Devils Rugby League Club which campaigned against other Aboriginal community teams in the Bonalbo League .
“ Uncle Dennis found me a job working alongside him with the old Department of Main Roads where I worked in a gang doing bridge constructions ,” Chris said .
“ As soon as I was settled , my aunt and uncle also lured my entire family down to live with them – mum and dad , four brothers and three sisters – and Dad also snared a job with the DMR .
The entire family had a love of footy and faster than a Ricky Gervais quip , they were all heavily involved with Windsor Wolves .
Josie and Bob ’ s enthusiasm for supporting the club soon earned them the title “ matriarch and patriarch of the hill ”.
“ They loved being involved , and you
Welcome to Walker Family Hill
Windsor Wolves Rugby League Club has honoured the Walker family ’ s great contribution to the club and the local community following a board meeting on last month , when board members voted unanimously to name the southern hill of the football ground , The Walker Family Hill .
The proposal to name the hill in honour of the Walker clan was put to the board by vice president , Maurie Hyde , and strongly supported by president , Ross Jones .
“ We plan to place a ‘ Walker Family Hill ’ sign above the current scoreboard and of course , organise an official opening ,” Maurie said .
The southern hill was the camping area for the Walker family matriarch and patriarch , Josie and Bob Walker , who held court there each match day .
Maurie said Windsor Wolves was proud of its long association with indigenous players and their families over several generations .
Strongly supporting the decision to honour the Walker family are the club ’ s major sponsors , Eather Group ’ s Peter and Sally-Ann Eather , and Gold Sponsor , Goodradigbee Cultural & Heritage Aboriginal Corporation .
10 ISSUE 156 // MAY 2023 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT