Lonely graves entry

"Roy's Retreat", Argyle, KUNUNURRA - buried (according to his last wish) on his property at Spillway Creek by his wife Barbara, Jacqueline Henggeler from "Kachana" and Leanne O'Connell, with permission from the Department of Environment and Ben Ward (Aboriginal elder from the Miriwoong community).

A well-known stockman and identity, who died of natural causes. Born 29.7.1929 in Cunderdin - son of Florence Lillian (nee DYER, Midland Junction) and Patrick Roy Walker (Bunbury). He first married Natalie Isabel (nee CURR) on 30.12.1951 in Darwin, Northern Territory. They had three sons - Bernard Roy (born 9.3.1953 in Leonora, WA) - Kimberley Lester (born 24.2.1955 in Adelaide, South Australia) - and Christopher James (born 24.11.1959 at Tumbly Bay, WA).

His second marriage was to Olivia Veronika (nee RUDOLF, Swiss) on 13.11.1989 in Perth.

His last marriage was to Barbara Christina (nee STRAUB, Swiss) on 10.6.1995 at Roy's Retreat, Argyle.

During his life, Roy worked on many stations as a stockman, drover, horse-breaker, yard-builder, saddler and for some years as a lay missionary at Kalumburu for Father Seraphin Sanz. He was once head stockman on Argyle Downs for the pioneering Durack family. Reg and Mary Durack were his special friends, and also John Williamson who after hearing of Roy's life in the Kimberley, wrote a song about his experiences - "The prettiest girl in the Kimberley." Roy belonged to the land as much as the land had been his life.

The bush was what he always wanted - a bit of dirt over which he became custodian with the blessing of local tribal elders. He set up his own paradise near Lake Argyle which drowned much of the country he knew. Using local hand-cut timber and stone from the surrounding countryside, he built a pioneer dwelling on Spillway Creek.

Roy was a poet and a great character from a bygone era of the true stockman days. Many of his poems are about his mates. He died peacefully at home, listening to his favourite panpipe music "The Rose" from Gheorghe Zamfir, while his wife lovingly read his favourite poem "Lord, give me a job mustering in paradise," which he himself composed especially for this music.

After his death, the ladies alone dug his grave in a picturesque open cave he had chosen (named Roy's Retreat), to which entrance was gained through a naturally formed tunnel. The following morning, they laid Roy's body to rest with dignity, after having him dressed as the true ringer ready for his muster in paradise. They conveyed him by hand cart through a fence, across a dry creek bed and up a hill to the site. Precious photographs of Barbara and Roy being married at this same site were placed with him, and after readings from the Bible, the soil was returned to the grave, which (at this stage) is marked by a simple wooden cross. The next day the grave was blessed by Father Patrick, a priest from Kununurra.

Roy found this cave in 1943 and always referred to it as his own cathedral. He knew that one day he would return to this place, and it was always his wish to be buried there as it was his sacred place. His wife, Barbara - an art worker, engraved a permanent gravestone on which was the winged-horse Pegasus and his poem, "Mustering in Paradise".

Further Reference: Kimberley Echo - 30.11.2006 (Letters to the Editor p6 and "Vale Roy Walker" p9) and 7.12.2006

(Letters to the Editor p10); NORTH OF THE 26TH - Vol 2 edited by Helen Weller with assistance from Roy Hamilton and John Harper-Nelson p192 (REFLECTIONS OF THE PAST) and p249 (THE "ARGYLE" MAN - A Tribute to Roy Walker by Ed Walker and THAT'S ME); Australian Geographic No 25, Jan-March 1992 p62 (photo).

Barbara was particularly interested in the survival of the Antilopine walleroo, a kangaroo that is under threat as it is very sensitive to fire, a problem in many areas of northern Australia. Our last project was collecting tissue samples from the ears of Antilopine walleroos for the Australian museum. The samples were used to complete a study of the Antilopine wallaroo's population genetics across its entire distribution, which will lead to improved taxonomy, conservation and management of the species.

Today, Roy’s Retreat Inc primarily cares for birds, which we receive from KANE (Kimberley Animal Nature and Education). Our focus is solely on birds that can be safely released back into the wild. We stopped rehabilitating joeys, mainly due to the devastating 2019 fire, which destroyed millions of hectares. Many animals perished in the fire, and we were forced to purchase large amounts of feed to support both animals and birds through the most challenging period until vegetation grew back. It took several years for wildlife to return but many species are still absent. The fires who occur every year in the Kimberley have a detrimental effect on the environment, which effects every living thing.