A mural dedicated to Australia’s Light Horsemen and featuring a Gold Coast soldier was completed this month on a new noise barrier located on the Pacific Motorway at Robina.
Painted by Phantast Cultural Music & Arts Association Inc. in an effort to deter graffiti, the mural is a timely reminder of the upcoming 2015 ANZAC Centenary.
The mural features one of the Gold Coast’s own – Private Robert Alexander Cormack – who served in the Australian Army in World War II.
Private Cormack’s son Russell said he was amazed at the likeness of his father’s image.
“I drive past the noise barrier every day and knew it was him straight away,” Mr Cormack said.
“I was so amazed and moved to see him up there, I had to stop and take pictures.
“When I found out the theme of the mural I sent dad’s picture to Phantast, but didn’t expect that he would feature so prominently.
“It is just incredibly moving,” he said.
The life of Private Robert Cormack:
- Born 1 October 1920 in Coolangatta
- Enlisted at age 22
- Served in the Middle East and at the Western Front in WWII
- Contracted the mumps and was transported back to Australia on a hospital ship, returning to the Gold Coast in April 1946
- Maternal grandfather arrived in Germany circa 1890 and selected 300 acres at Mudgeeraba, building a house that still stands on Mudgeeraba Showgrounds and is currently being used by the Mudgeeraba Light Horse Museum
- Mother was a school teacher at Mudgeeraba School
- Had four brothers and two sisters, with two siblings still alive today and living in the area
- Farming history:
- Dairy farming in 1928 where Somerset College now stands
- Dairy farming at Currumbin Valley (near today’s Eco Village) where the young Cormack would help hand-milk 80+ cows morning and night
- Banana plantation on Piggabeen Road in 1959, sold in 1972
- Married in 1948 in Tweed Heads and settled in Currumbin with three sons – Robert, Barry and Russell
- Private Cormack passed away in 1978 aged 57
Youth on the Go 