HMAS Sydney II Memorial inaugural warden Don Rolston leaves with heavy heart following 13 years of service

As Geraldton prepares to farewell its inaugural warden of the HMAS Sydney II Memorial, the man behind the iconic site reflects on his 13 years in the role. Don Rolston will hand over the position to deputy warden Peter Jones at a commemorative sunset service on Saturday, marking the end of his time as warden. The now 83-year-old, who was born in Perth, grew up in Mount Hawthorn and calls Geraldton home, is an ex-national service person, serving from 1958 until 1961 throughout Western Australia. “We were between the two wars, if you like, it was really a peacetime national service.” Although he didn’t serve overseas, Mr Rolston said national service instilled a feeling of nationalism in himself. “We grew up to understand what supporting and serving the country meant,” he said. “It instilled in us those sorts of feelings and recognition, which perhaps we didn’t have enough of before we went in.” It is this sense of nationalism that has helped Mr Rolston excel in his role as warden of the HMAS Sydney II Memorial, where he oversaw daily care and management and helped carry out the many ceremonies held there over the years. “As the memorial warden, I got requests from across Australia and overseas about whatever people wanted to talk about, whatever they wanted to know,” he said. “I accepted that role with enthusiasm, I was amazed at how well it’s been received.” Opened in 2001, the memorial commemorates the loss of the HMAS Sydney II and her crew of 645 men on November 19, 1945, after German raider Kormoran opened fire within one nautical mile of the ship during World War II. For Mr Rolston, the lives of the 645 crew men were always front of mind during his time as warden. “I believe everything I tried to do was in the best interest of what the memorial stands for, as well as representing, very professionally, the 645 lost and their descendants,” he said. Mr Rolston said the memorial was unique compared to others because it was about a particular incident during the war and 100 per cent Navy focused. “Its focus is on the 645 people lost in that incident, and how the memorial tells its story, supporting just that and nothing else,” Mr Rolston said. “There’s no armoury, there’s no guns, there’s no talk about conflict or anything, it is purely and simply unique in how it tells its story. That’s what makes it so well accepted around Australia and overseas.” The memorial is one of Geraldton’s most popular tourism sites with between 60,000 to 65,000 visitors every year. Mr Rolston said it had been “incredible” to see thousands of people over the years experience it for the first time. “I think they come with certain expectations but once they’ve been there, and we talk to them and walk them through the memorial, the impact it has on them is incredible,” he said. “One of the questions I ask the visitors is how did you know about this memorial? Almost to a person they would say, a friend of mine, or my uncle or my brother came along some years ago and said ‘you’ve got to go to Geraldton, you must see that memorial’.” Mr Rolston described the role as “almost 24/7 at times” and said he hoped to enjoy some more family time when he steps down. “I’m getting on in years, I’ll try and pursue some family relationships which I suppose I could have maintained a bit stronger because the role of the warden is not just November 19 each year,” he said. “It’s just ongoing all the time. “I’ve got fond memories of my 13 years as warden and prior to that in the building of it. I leave with a heavy heart, there’s no question about that.”