How Korumburra became PK’s own little castle

Peter Ketelaar outside his beloved castle at the showgrounds.

In a town as welcoming as Korumburra, it’s often the people who make it truly special. Peter Ketelaar, a long-time resident, has spent nearly four decades building a life rich in community, resilience, and friendship. From personal tragedy to finding belonging through the local football club, Peter shares his remarkable journey, reflections on grief, and the deep love he holds for his adopted hometown. His story is one of quiet strength, deep loss, and a fierce love for life itself.

Interviewer: I'm here with Peter Ketelaar. You've got your own castle down here at the footy club. Tell me about your life in Korumburra.

Peter: My life in Korumburra? Well, I've been here about 38 years, I think. I've been involved in the footy club ever since. I’ve done the gate for about 30-something years. Apart from that, I worked here and now I'm retired.

Interviewer: Tell me about your early life when you came here. What made you come to Korumburra?

Peter: I was working in Sydney. My daughter, who lived in Sale with her mum, was killed in a car accident. We came down here for the funeral, and after that, I sort of went off the rails for a while. Somehow we ended up in Moree. Some friends of ours, Judy and David Wrigley, came and saw us and said, "You're coming back to Korumburra to get settled down."
I got a job with Repco in Leongatha, then worked with Gendore in spare parts, which has been my trade all my life. I've been here ever since.

Interviewer: Did I hear you say you lost someone you loved?

Peter: Yeah, my daughter.

Interviewer: Your daughter?

Peter: She was 13 years old and was hit by a drunk driver. She and her girlfriend were riding their bikes home from a picnic when a drunk driver hit them from behind and killed both of them.

Interviewer: When was that?

Peter: About 37 years ago now.

Interviewer: Does the pain of that ever go away?

Peter: No.

Interviewer: What's it like now?

Peter: It’s good most of the time, but you get your days when it all just comes back. You think about it, you get a bit down, and you wonder why you couldn't save her.

Interviewer: When people lose someone, some handle it differently. Were there people there for you?

Peter: There were. Friends and family were there for me. It was a very difficult time, and you don’t really ever get over it. Even now, there are days when it brings you right back down to earth again. But being involved with the footy club and in the town has been great.

Interviewer: Where did your connection to the footy club come from?

Peter: Again, through David and Judy. They said, "Come up to the footy, come and watch." We lived right across the road from the footy ground when it was still up the top. We just started going to the footy, got involved, did a few things, and eventually I started working on the gate, joined committees, and have kept going ever since.

Interviewer: Do you still love living in Korumburra?

Peter: Oh God, yes.

Interviewer: What's it like to you now?

Peter: You won't get me out of here. Too many friends, and it’s a lovely town. It still feels like a country town. People say hello when you walk down the street. It’s so different from city life. I couldn’t imagine myself in the city anymore.

Interviewer: Do you think it’s about putting your feet in the ground long enough to build up your network and relationships?

Peter: Absolutely. It's very difficult when you're moving around a lot. Early in my career, I worked in New Guinea for six years, Fiji for two years, all with Toyota spare parts, then back to Sydney. After the accident, we ended up here.

Interviewer: What do you love most about the town itself?

Peter: It's friendly. It might not have everything you need—you might have to go elsewhere for some shopping—but the basics are here. Plus, my other daughter and my grandkids are here too.

Interviewer: How old are you now, Pete?

Peter: Seventy-two.

Interviewer: Does life get easier as you get older?

Peter: Yeah, in some ways. Once you retire, you tend to relax a bit. Mind you, I haven't worked for quite a while because I've had heart problems all my life. I was born with a heart problem, had umpteen operations, and had a heart transplant eight years ago. It's given me a new lease on life. I should have been dead years ago.

Interviewer: Does everything you've been through make you appreciate life more?

Peter: Yeah, it makes you appreciate life a hell of a lot more.

Interviewer: Does life ever stop presenting challenges to you?

Peter: No, never. Always something seems to come up. And it’s something you’ve just got to get over. You've got to keep fighting, because if you don't and you go down that slide, you could end up nowhere.

Interviewer: And you need help too, don't you?

Peter: You do. At first I was reluctant to ask, as most blokes are. But once family and friends got involved and we established ourselves here, we got so much support. It was wonderful. You have to ask for help. You get to a certain point and you realise, if I don't get some help, it’s not going to work.

Interviewer: What strengths of your own character have you called on over the years? What are the strongest parts of yourself?

Peter: I'm stubborn. If I set my mind to something, I want to get it done. I get disappointed if it doesn't happen. But I always keep telling myself: life’s too precious.
I learned that after Fiona’s death. She was only 13, had her whole life ahead of her, and she never got a chance—for boyfriends, marriage, anything. Whereas I'm still here. I can still do all those things. I can still go out, have fun, meet people, and keep going.

Interviewer: When you look at the world today, what do you see?

Peter: Scared. Not scared for myself, but more for what’s coming. During our time, we had a fabulous life. No internet, none of this social media noise. Life just went on. It was great.

Interviewer: Do you think the internet has been good or bad?

Peter: In some ways, it's good. People can communicate better. But there's so much rubbish out there, especially getting into kids' minds. Scammers, misinformation, dangerous sites... it’s worrying.
You have to be so careful now. I think I’m more worried about what my grandkids are going to encounter. Kids today are growing up with screens—iPads, computers. It’s just their world now. They have to know it, but it’s a whole different way of living compared to when we grew up.

Interviewer: For the remainder of your life, what are your hopes and dreams?

Peter: I just want life to continue the way it is. I’m quite happy doing what I’m doing. Life ticks along on a steady beat. Sometimes you struggle a bit, but other times you just cruise along.

I just hope nothing drastic happens. I’m happy with where I am and the life I’m living.

PK has been doing the gate at the footy club for more than 30 years. Legend.