He saw active service in World War I, and when he returned to Australia with his Scottish wife Jean, he decided to supplement their modest income by establishing a small 'tourist retreat.

'[2] During the 1930s the couple built three pisé, or rammed earth cottages, plus a tennis court and a large swimming pool.

The cottages are recognised on the Victorian Heritage Register as some of the very few pisé buildings using local materials from the early 20th century.

Walter and his wife were perceived as a gentle couple who, through hard work, had created an oasis that they loved and wanted others to enjoy too.

Then, with the declaration of the Grampians National Park in 1984, a new focus on the area's natural and cultural values led to growing concern about pollution to the river, and the eventual closure of the campground in 1994.