In March 1990, Master Walsh founded the Tae Kwon Do Federation of Australia (TFA) in an effort to counter what he saw as an unhealthy trend away from Tae Kwon Do’s traditional values and the overt commercialism of the Art. In January 1997, the TFA was transformed into the United Tae Kwon Do Federation of Australia (UTFA). The UTFA was formed to provide a new administrative base through which the Grandmaster’s aim of providing a quality, teaching-based (rather than competition-based) Tae Kwon Do organisation would be brought to fruition.

Grandmaster Walsh was the first Australian to be graded 7th Dan Black Belt by the Korean Kido Association – the martial arts governing body of the South Korean government. He received this honour from Grandmaster In Sun Seo, 10th Dan Black Belt, one of the most senior Korean martial arts practitioners and President and Chairman of the Kido Hae. Grandmaster Walsh was also the first Australian to be graded 7th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. He received this honour from Grandmaster Kwang Sung Hwang 9th Dan, who was (at that time) the third most senior ITF Tae Kwon Do practitioner in the world.

In 2000, Grandmaster Walsh was invited by the Kido Hae to attend the 2nd World Martial Arts Championship and Demonstration in Korea. At this event, and to his surprise, Grandmaster Walsh was presented with a Commendation from the Kido for his lifetime of effort in teaching and spreading the traditional Korean martial arts.

In 2003, Grandmaster Walsh founded Walsh Martial Arts Australia as a specialist teaching school in order to promote the benefits of Korean martial arts through the innovative and advanced instruction of traditional Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido.

In 2004, Grandmaster Walsh was graded 8th Dan Black Belt by the World Kido Federation.

In 2005, Grandmaster Walsh celebrated 50 years involvement in martial arts.  He continues to teach Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido to Australia’s leading instructors.

Photo captions:

1. 1.1972: Grandmaster Walsh demonstrates his famous focus power by destroying a stack of 12 roof tiles. Grandmaster Walsh's calm expression and relaxed posture during his amazing breaking feats became his trade mark during his third term of study in Korea.
   

2. 2.2009:  At 65, Grandmaster Walsh continues to teach and promote Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido throughout Australia.
   

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