Goulburn 'character' John 'Whiskey' Walker left impression | Obituary

An extensive collection of old trucks, engines, railway trikes, boats, historic parts, photos and memorabilia occupied most of his home and yard.

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John Walker's grandfather was shot four times in WWI

Visitors would usually find him tinkering with his beloved 1929 Blue Bow truck or figuring out a fix on a steam engine part.

"He certainly loved his history," his brother Frank told The Post.

John Walker, who has been described as a 'character,' passed away at Goulburn Base Hospital on September 15, aged seventy-seven.

His passion for historic trucks and engines started early. His marine engineer father likely fuelled his interest

Born in Maitland on March 24, 1945 to Allen Brooks Walker and wife Elizabeth, he became the eldest of four boys, including Peter, Frank and Kevin.

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The family left Maitland in 1949 following heavy flooding and moved briefly to Guilford and then Warragamba where Allen secured a job building the dam.

"When we were growing up, everyone had a 1930s car and the local tram running from Sutherland to Cronulla was steam-powered," Frank said.

"Dad also had an old Triumph that John always wanted to play with. His fascination with cars goes back a long way."

After the family shifted to Miranda, John attended Janalli High School. He left to become a telegram boy for the postal service and it was here in 1961 that he first spied Blue Bow, a 1929 LQ Chevrolet.

"It was love at first sight," he told The Post in 2017.

After Mr Walker moved to Goulburn in the late 1960s he married Gloria Honeywell. The couple had a daughter who lived for two days. Gloria passed away in the 1980s.

While here, John had the opportunity to buy Blue Bow, an Albion truck, for 10 pounds. It had been used as a working vehicle at the Old Goulburn Brewery.

Years later, he proudly drove it over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark the structure's 75^th and 80^th anniversary. It was also a fixture in Goulburn's annual Lilac Festival parade.

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In Goulburn he worked on the railway as a fireman, on repair gangs and in his spare time, at the railway roundhouse.

"John knew a lot of people," Frank said.

In his spare time, John ran the steam museum at the Goulburn Waterworks. Together with his father, he helped get the Appleby Beam engine going.

His vast collection started with the Blue Bow at his Bellevue Street home and grew exponentially after he built his Taralga Road home in the 1970s.

Mr Walker devoted more time to it after he left the railway in the 1980s due to injury.

When The Post visited in 2017 there were ship engines from HMAS Kookaburra and Heroic, a tugboat, railway trikes, an 1858 Carmichael Beam Engine and another pride and joy, a 1929 Albion truck used by Tooth and Co in Sydney.

Mr Walker also had a healthy collection of memorabilia and stories. He was particularly proud of his family's military service, including that of his grandfather, who served in the Navy and was shot four times during World War One. Each year John would march in Sydney's ANZAC parade.

Friend, Leon Oberg, said Mr Walker's death was "the passing of a character."

"John had a big heart and would help anyone," he said.

"If someone broke down outside his house he was first on the scene to effect repairs. He was something of a loner but could put his mind to any engineering matter."

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Frank said his brother was self-taught but honed his skills through numerous TAFE courses right up until shortly before his death.

In the past two years he suffered ill-health and had several hospital stays. He died in Goulburn Base Hospital on September 15.

"He was a good brother and I'll miss that," Frank said.

Mr Walker's graveside funeral service will be held at Goulburn General Cemetery at 2pm Tuesday, October 4.

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