By Victoria Stone-Meadows
THE Mount Evelyn Community and the Chalkey family gathered at the old Mount Evelyn Railway station to plant a memorial tree for a local man who gave so much to the community.
Ivor Chalkey worked tirelessly over the years on projects in the area but is best known for his work revitalising the station sites along Lilydale to Warburton Trail.
Mr Chalkey worked with many community groups and organisations to make the trail something really special for the community of Mount Evelyn and surrounds to enjoy.
Ivor’s son David said the memorial tree planting at the Mount Evelyn station site on Saturday 10 September was more than just a way to commemorate his father’s work.
“It was really good in the regard that we completed something Dad had started and never got to finish,” he said.
“It was really important to us and that’s how family felt.”
David Chalkey said his father started planting trees and vegetation at the Mount Evelyn Railway site some time ago.
“Dad noticed the Mount Evelyn platform bank was bare and horrible so started the planting there so when people look up from shops you look at plants instead of dirt.”
“Unfortunately he didn’t get to finish it but we finished it for him on Saturday.”
Ivor Chalkey and his wife Mary immigrated to Australia and moved to Mount Evelyn in 1958 and quickly developed a strong connection to the area.
Mr Chalkey had involvement in many of the environmental and friends groups around the Mount Evelyn area and was also a Scout leader for many years.
“One main thing, with what he has done, he was very community orientated,” David Chalkey said.
“He was very community-minded, like the trail was for the community and that’s what he wanted to do.”
David Chalkey also said his father passed on his love of the community to his children and his long history of community work is a wonderful reminder of their father.
“He was a good dad, when you played up you knew about it and he guided us the best he could,” he said.
“He definitely passed on the care and love of the area; I’m a Scout leader at Mount Evelyn myself and did a lot of work with Dad on the trail.
“Wherever I go on the trail, there is something there that he has been and done; all the way out to the other side, right up to Launching Place and beyond.”
Ivor Chalkey passed away in April this year at the age of 87 but his contributions to the community and his hard-working spirit live on through his children and his environmental work.
