Restoration Work

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All money we raise from our Open Days is put back into the estate in various forms.

Unfortunately NSW Health can only spend money on facilities that are actually used for health related purposes. Finance for all other restoration work has to come from other sources. So far we have spent in excess of $70,000 for various conservation work around the estate.

We have done much, but there is still much to do

It is through your help on our regular Open Days on the Walker Estates that we are able to raise the necessary money to finance this work.

OUR FIRST PROJECT: In our early efforts we raised $20,000 which, with a dollar-for-dollar grant from the Heritage Council of N.S.W., enabled us to restore a small timber building near the entrance to the main section of the estate. It was originally thought that this building was a slaughterhouse as, during its farming days, the estate was fully self-sufficient, but when the conservation architects began their work they realised that it was more likely to have been used as a calving shed or a grooming area for livestock being transported to the Royal Easter Shows. Yaralla cattle were regular ribbon winners at the Show.

OUR SECOND AND ONGOING PROJECT: The current project is the restoration of the historic squash court at Yaralla. This was built for the pleasure of his Royal Highness, Prince Edward (later the Duke of Windsor) who at age 26 stayed at Yaralla for a week as the guest of Miss Eadith Walker. He was accompanied by Sub-Lieutenant Lord Louis Mountbatten, RN, known to him family and friends as “Dickie”.

Although the court was built especially for the royal visitor there is doubt that he ever played squash there. Without doubt, it is the oldest purpose-built squash court (public or private) to be built in Australia as building would have commenced early in 1920 to be ready for the royal visit in August of that year.

Christian Bjelke-Petersen - uncle of Joe Bjelke Petersen (later Sir Joe), former Premier of Queensland – built a gymnasium in Castlereagh Street, Sydney, which he converted to squash courts in 1920. Christian attended a garden party at Government House where he was presented to HRH Prince Edward. Upon learning of the newly opened court, Prince Edward turned to Lord Louis and said: “See that I am there in an hour”. Apparently the Prince played every day for the fortnight he was in Sydney, coming incognito and wearing a thick woollen sweater whilst playing (his physician had advised him to sweat profusely every day of his life to keep fit). Those courts were destroyed by fire in the mid 1920’s.

A reason for the Prince not playing at the court at Yaralla could have been that the floor was made of concrete. The specifications for the building of the court may not have mentioned that the floor should have been timber. There was a great problem with white ants on the property, hence the concrete floor

Our expenditure to date on this project is in the vicinity of $29,000 with more work still to be done.

FOUR WINDS FOUNTAIN: With the help of a bequest of $50,000 from our late member, Liane Poulton, we have been able to reproduce the Four Winds Fountain, which had been almost destroyed over the years. Total cost for the fountain was in excess of $55,000. This is a faithful replica and is now fully restored and working.

ITALIAN BALLUSTRADE: Sections of this have fallen into disrepair and various urns have been damaged over the years. We have recently accepted a quote to repair all damaged sections and this should be carried out during 2006.

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