Memorial to the Borgmeyer family unveiled at Karatta, KI
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A stone memorial on the edge of a paddock at Karatta on the south coast of Kangaroo Island will forever pay tribute to a soldier settler and his wife.
Rodger Borgmeyer, 78, erected the monument as a tribute to his parents Bill and Beatrice, who settled the farm in 1955 when the soldier settlers scheme brought veterans out to populate the western end of Kangaroo Island.
His mother named the farm Attarak, or Karatta spelled backwards and there they and their five children prospered through difficult times and good times.
The plaque on the memorial reads; "In loving memory of Bill and Beat Borgmeyer. Original soldier settlers on this property on April 5, 1955 with their family Les, Eileen, Rodger, Dorothy and John."
The memorial, built by local stonemason Graham Nash, was officially unveiled in a small family ceremony earlier this year.
"It's been on my bucket list for 10 years and something I have wanted to do for a long time," he said.
Mr Borgmeyer continues to live on the Attarak farm, which narrowly avoided destruction in December's Mount Taylor Road bushfire.
Only two months ago, he participated as the oldest shearer in the Blades of Glencoe shearathon.
Attending the memorial unveiling was fellow Soldier Settler and dear friend Diana McWhinnie, who together with her husband Ken, settled the adjoining property.
It was a very proud family moment when we unveiled the Borgmeyer memorial for my grandparents - Rose Benney.
Mrs McWhinnie, 84, gave the opening speech, paying tribute to the Borgmeyers and all the Soldier Settlers, who struggled to survive on the land.
"I think it is lovely and I think they would loved it," she said.
Bill and Beat are buried in Kingscote, but Rodger is hoping his remains can be placed at the memorial on the farm.
This is the speech Mrs McWhinnie gave at the official opening of the memorial:
It is a great honour for me to unveil this monument built with Kangaroo Island's beautiful sandstone, which will always be here, to commemorate the lives of Mr and Mrs Borgmeyer.
As a mark of respect, I rarely call them Bill and Beat. I first saw the Borgmeyer family the day after they arrived on Kangaroo Island.
Their cows had arrived earlier from Corny Point and were at the Vigar's farm, where I was boarding and they came to drive them to their new, permanent home.
I still recall seeing a lot of furniture on the back of the buckboard, and Rodger, on foot, starting the long trek to Karatta, over 20 miles away. I heard that it was dark when he and all the cows arrived there.
Ken and I arrived on our farm in January 1956. About five months later I met the Borgmeyer family returning from a Kingscote shopping day where they'd bought John a new school uniform to begin his education at Karatta, where I had been appointed to teach for a year. That meeting led to approximately 50 years of friendship.
Karatta was in the early development stage. A few farmers were in the area before us, but it became mainly the soldier settler area. We felt lucky to be granted farms, but the early years were tough for all us.
We needed heaps of cash to develop and work the places. The Lands Department cleared some acres, usually from 400 to 800 acres. Because of some easy-to-clear river flats, we had 400 acres, the Borgmeyer family had a few hundred more.
We were not allowed to run sheep until the Lands Department thought the mixed clovers had reached a state of growth, which could carry them.
Mrs Borgmeyer raised turkeys and sold eggs and cream. The whole family worked together. The first time Bill Millar met them, Eileen was driving the cows in to be be milked.
Their days always began early, often with Mr Borgmeyer running. He was a fast runner, as out daughter Wendy found out when she challenged him to an uphill race.
Everyone began the day feeding the various animals - dogs, pigs, sheep and cows and never missing "old cocky" by their back door. Since a few of us had an income, milking or separating the cream was an important way to earn cash and for many other in this area.
Both Mr and Mrs Borgmeyer were wonderful supporters of the district, which at first, except for the now-demolished church as mainly scrub.
Their huge efforts, together with the people of Karatta, turned the area into one of the most vibrant places on the Island, especially the hall, built with local working bees and popular for its fast dancing floor.
There was always some social event there and I can't remember one meeting or working bee where Mr Borgmeyer did not supply all of the milk and made the most marvellous creamy coffee for us all, which is remembered with gratitude by the few of us still living on Kangaroo Island today.
An important annual role for him was Father Christmas, acted with perfection and the children loved him. He handled the situation perfectly when he stopped a boy, about 12 years old, who attempted to remove his beard.
Just when the Lands Department allowed us to have extra sheep and cows, meat and wool prices fell drastically. Some could not stand the hardships. Debts were the worst, there were always bills to pay and some settlers left the Island, but the Borgmeyers soldiered on.
Until Ken and I had our own chooks, I always bought my eggs from them. I always arrived at the Borgmeyer home, saying "How do you make this, how do you do that?". Occasionally I'd leave home in a rage, once having thrown things across the floor - a calming down cuppa and a resolution of my problem solved the lot.
I have much to thank them for. They were good neighbours, true blue Aussies and friendly right from the start. I particularly appreciated the straight talking. There was not a phony word anywhere, anytime, and their children were firmly taught to respect others.
We helped each other and YES I can positively say: They are both remembered with love. - Diana McWhinnie