In 1992, Alan and Nell Forward were returning from a trip to Kalgoorlie and dropped in to the Kalgan River Caravan park. They were so impressed with the options available that they thought the veteran golfers would enjoy a week long stay there where they could go boating, fishing, camping and play golf on what was then a make shift 9 hole course (jam tins as holes in the greens). In 1993, the first group of Veteran’s started to go to the Kalgan River Chalets campground to compete in the Kalgan Shield. The main organiser were Peter Clift and Alistair Campbell with a lot of help from the other members.
The first year there were 28 participants and the following year it was so successful that 43 attended. Typical of something organised by ex-teachers, they had a detailed itinerary for the trip which included several social occasions and dress ups.
Peter Clift became the main organiser of the event, getting people organised and informing the park of the number of attendees and how they were to be accommodated. Effectively the veteran’s took over the park and then started a maintenance program on the golf course, mowing it and preparing it for their competition. Bob Imray took on the job of green keeper, a task he volunteered for in the early days at Margaret River. Bob loved sitting on a tractor or mower.
Alistair Campbell woke everyone in the morning at 7am with a playing of the “Last Post” over a loud speaker. Later, Ray Atcheson replaced this by a recording of a rooster crowing which he placed outside the accommodation of any new comers. Joan Garstone and Bernadette Campbell (both ex-teachers) organised the golf events and kept accurate scores and handicaps so that a winner could be declared on the final night.
Every year had different activities run by volunteers, Scrabble by Ron Sparks, Tennis by Hazel Brennan and Jean Hunter. Fishing was Vince Home for the ocean and Bernadette Campbell for the land fishing. Different theme nights were organised with Country and Western, 20’s theme, a wedding and sometimes just fancy dress.
The group often travelled to other courses in the area including Albany. It was at the Vista Par 3 that Bob Morrow was walking along one of the fairways when he didn’t notice the grass growing over a deep water hole, where he promptly stepped in up to his neck in water.
As the years progressed, the numbers decreased a bit but they still had 20 people attend the last Kalgan Trip in 2018.
Updated September 14, 2025