Michelle Cooper, Director, National Rock Garden
Published in the National Rock Garden Newsletter No. 26, December 2023
A few months ago, Bill Bale reached out to the National Rock Garden, to offer us a small piece of zebra rock, which you might know is the NRG’s rock emblem and inspires the colour and features of our logo.
Bill’s family was living in Canberra when the Second World War broke out and his father, Dick Bale, was with the Department of Civil Aviation. However, in 1943 the Department moved him to be in charge of an RAAF Advanced Operational Base at Wyndham until the end of the war. When he returned to Canberra, he brought back a number of items, including the zebra rock, which Bill believes would have been gifted to his father by local people as souvenirs.
Bill was happy to return the rock to its ‘second home’, as a gift from Dick Bale (deceased) via his sons George, Rick (deceased), David and Bill. Thank you, Dick and family, we will be sure to look after it!
