Community
1 November, 2025
Walklate family to leave a significant legacy
THE Walklate name is one of great significance in the Charlton community, with both Mary and Brian giving their all for the town for more than five decades.
THE Walklate name is one of great significance in the Charlton community, with both Mary and Brian giving their all for the town for more than five decades.
In 1942, at just 16-years-old, Brian was accepted into Melbourne University to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.
Although he did not pass his first year academically, he jokingly said, “I passed first year billiards though.”
Despite the setback, Brian remained determined to serve others and enlisted as a medical orderly in the Navy, where he spent the remainder of the war years.
When the war concluded, he resumed his medical studies and successfully graduated in 1952.
In 1953, Brian, together with his wife Mary and their six-week-old daughter, moved to Charlton to begin his medical career.
Embracing his new community wholeheartedly, Brian became a true family doctor, serving Charlton for fifty-seven years until his retirement in 2010 at 85-years-old.
Brian’s commitment to the town went beyond the consulting room. Supported tirelessly by Mary, who often answered calls at night and cared for their four young children so Brian could rest, he provided round-the-clock medical care to Charlton residents.
His expertise in obstetrics and surgery proved invaluable in the rural setting, and it is estimated he delivered more than two thousand babies during his years in practice.
Despite the demands of his work, Brian actively participated in community life.
He had active roles in many local organisations including serving as President and Life Governor of the Charlton Bush Nursing Hospital, was a founding member of the Charlton Rotary Club.
Brian was also an avid golf and tennis player and was instrumental in establishing the Men’s Shed in Charlton as well as donating significant equipment to the Shed over the years.
In a well-deserved acknowledgement of his outstanding service to the community both through his work as a general practitioner as well as his extensive community involvement over the years, Brian was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2006. Brian and Mary enjoyed 72 years of marriage, working side by side to serve the people of Charlton until Brian’s passing in 2021 at 95.
His legacy is marked by a lifetime of dedicated service and a grateful community who benefited from his compassion and commitment.
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