The following essay was written as a tribute to the Honourable Evan H. Walker (MArch 1962) and submitted to the Daniels Faculty by his friend George Hume (BArch 1964).

The Honourable Evan H. Walker, Order of Australia

Husband, Father, Architect, Politician, Lucky Guy from the Lucky Country.

Born: Box Hill, Victoria, Australia, October 11, 1935
Died: Melbourne, Australia, February 16, 2015

Like a comet, Evan Walker's visits to Canada did not amount to a large part of his life, but when he was here on one of his many sojourns, he was highly visible. Born in suburban Melbourne, he came to this country as a graduate student on a Commonwealth Scholarship to study at the School of Architecture at the University of Toronto. Serendipity led him to reside at Wycliffe College, a Methodist among the Anglicans. Theological, political and bridge skills were sharpened there. His apprenticeship in Australian Rules football gave him an advantage in rugby and Wycliffe became a powerhouse in level 'D' intramurals.

With an innate ability to dream of large goals and achieve them, he organized a trip to visit university student residences in the US and Canada as a major part of his master's thesis research. That it became a legendary 37,000 km camping trip, never missing an appointment, was simply a foretaste of his career.

With the first master's degree in architecture granted by the University in his pocket, he returned to Australia to set up an architectural practice, but was soon back in Canada, summoned to convert his thesis for publication and to take up a don's position at New College, at U of T, which had just opened.

Never one to miss an opportunity, he met another don from Whitney Hall, Judith Outerbridge, and within three weeks proposed a life together. He often ascribed his later success to this union, stating, "I have lived a fortunate life, made all the better by my choice of wife."

The publication of his thesis was superseded by demands for his advice in planning student housing, the establishment of a consulting practice in Toronto and the birth of his two sons, Christopher and Benjamin.

Home beckoned, as it does for many Australians and he returned to his Melbourne practice, but social issues began to occupy his time and passion. Architecture gave way to politics and by the end of the 70s Evan represented Melbourne in the upper house of the Victorian Legislature. In his 13 years in office he was a house leader in opposition and then government, occupying nine different ministerial portfolios, from environment to the arts, holding three simultaneously at one point.

He managed many controversial and complicated tasks including the amalgamation of a number of universities and the transformation of Melbourne's riverfront from an abandoned port area to a vibrant arts community.

In the early 90s he moved to academia, becoming Dean of Architecture and Planning at the University of Melbourne, and becoming an advisor to a number of local and national organizations. He was honoured with the Order of Australia in 1996, an Honourary Doctorate of Technology (Victoria University of Technology, 1990)and an Honourary Doctorate of Architecture (University of Melbourne, 2009).


Evan Walker and George Hume in France, 2002

Parkinson's Disease took its toll in the last two decades, but his legacy was not forgotten. Evan was accorded a state funeral in Melbourne on February 23, 2015 with seven premiers in attendance. National flags were at half-mast across Victoria that day and the condolences in Hansard for the Legislative Council the next day ran to eight pages.

Besides Judith, his Canadian wife of nearly 50 years, he leaves his two sons and a daughter, Rebecca, and scores of friends and admirers around the world.

Truly, it can be said that to have known Evan Walker makes one a better person. In his modest opinion he would have considered that high praise.