DESCENDANTS of the Rook family were among those in attendance at the Rook Walk centenary event on Tuesday morning.
Susan Chamie travelled from Sydney to speak at the celebrations, which recognised the largest community effort in the city’s history when 1000 people built the wall and three lookouts in a single day.
Ms Chamie spoke about her father Wilbur Wright and his memories of his uncle Arthur Rook, who spearheaded the project 100 years ago.
“On behalf of my family, thank you for the very warm welcome and for the honour of having us here to represent the family of Arthur Rook – our grandmother Florence was Arthur’s sister,” Ms Chamie said.
“Firstly I would like to acknowledge the Boandik people – the planning and construction of Rook Walk is but a blip in the history of this place compared to their caretaking of it for up to 60,000 years.
“Our father Wilbur Wright shared many memories with us – to him and his family, his uncle Arthur was a hero.”
Ms Chamie said her father always remembered Mr Rook’s distinctive voice.
“He said Arthur had an unusual brogue – probably a trace from his Cornish ancestry,” she said.
“The memory central to this occasion is of him being in his pram on site during the working bee.
“His parents were listed as being here, his father as one of the labourers and his mother providing refreshments, so it is very likely he was here too.
“But did he actually remember this as a 20 month-old baby or is it a family story embellished over time?”
Ms Chamie painted a vivid picture of the day the Rook Walk was built.
“The 27th of November was only 16 days after armistice was declared, Mount Gambier had lost 143 soldiers with many more still missing and their families would have been heavy with grief,” she said.
“Here was a chance for the people of Mount Gambier to come together and build a tribute to those lost at war and somehow put that terrible time of destruction behind them.
“In a single symbolic act of hope and trust that peace was here at last, they built this wall at this very significant time in history.
“800 workers – stonemasons carpenters and painters – led teams of people in backbreaking work and in addition 300 women prepared and served meals during the day as 1000 visitors and school children came to watch.
“Tonic ale was available to spur things on and the town band and Salvation Army band played to make things more festive.
“Imagine a sleeping baby in its pram being awoken to the grunts and shouts of the workers, bang and clatter of metal on rock and the excitement, exhilaration and sheer goodwill of the day.
“If there was a memory to be held by a 20 month-old child as it was by our father Wilbur up until his 99th birthday, surely it was that day of 100 years ago.”
Ms Chamie said one of her father’s favourite quotes was that of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “we are judged by the way we celebrate our anniversaries”.
“You, the people of Mount Gambier, can be justly proud as our father would be of your celebration of this 100 year anniversary,” Ms Chamie said.
“It has not only prompted a family connection, it has brought together and rekindled the spirit that inspired that band of willing workers so many years ago.
“May that spirit, together with the spirits of this land’s most ancient people and the beauty of the Blue Lake, continue to unite and inspire us into the future.”
