Mr Borella, from Borung, served in the trenches at Gallipoli before shifting to the Western Front and being awarded the Commonwealth’s highest military medal for valour.  

But despite his contributions to the Australian war effort, Mr Borella is often overshadowed by the more renowned solider Albert Jacka, who called Wedderburn home. 

A statue of Mr Jacka already stands in the town, as does a park named in his honour.  

Loddon Shire acting chief executive officer Marg Allan said the council would soon be calling on artists to express interest in crafting the Borella sculpture, as well as a new statue of Mr Jacka.

The shire has allocated $100,000 to its Anzac Day committee for the commission, while the state government pledged $30,000 and its federal counterparts another $20,000.  

Ms Allan expected the sculpture would be unveiled inside the next 12 months. 

“There is certainly a lot of understanding locally about these two people,” she said.

“There’s a keenness to recognise their contribution to the country.” 

Although Mr Borella began his life in central Victoria, his story is treasured around Australia. 

A statue already stands for the man in Albury, where he died in 1966, and he is often referred to as the Northern Territory’s only Victoria Cross recipient, having worked in the state’s remote centre when World War One broke out. 

Other people are discovering the man’s story in a book compiled by his descendant, Deniliquin farmer and historian Brad Chalmers. 

Mr Chalmers, who grew up on the same patch of land as the decorated soldier, was moved to write down his relative’s story after giving a 2001 Anzac Day address in Wedderburn.  

“I realised what a remarkable life this bloke had,” he said. 

“Everybody knew about Albert Jacka, but very few people knew about Albert Borella.”

The book, Next to Impossible, details Mr Borella’s 1000-kilometre trek to Darwin in order to enlist, but was refused entry into the service.

“They didn't want any able-bodied men leaving the NT as a defence measure,” Mr Chalmers, a historian, said.

But Mr Borella was undeterred, taking a 2000-kilometre voyage on a coastal steamer to Townsville where he was welcomed into the army.  

The Northern Territory government funded a reenactment of the Borella Ride last year to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign. What took Mr Borella six weeks to complete, the 21st century travelling party did in just ten days.

He eventually spent two years on the Western Front, and was awarded his Victoria Cross medal after his platoon of about 30 men fended off 150 German foes at Villers-Bretonneux, today the site of an Australian war memorial.  

“I've been to where he was awarded his VC and I don't know how he survived,” Mr Chalmers said. 

“It must've been hell on earth.”

Life after war was not without its conflicts for Albert Chalmers Borella.

Brad Chalmers said the VC recipient returned from duty “relatively unscathed” to take up farming, but fell on hard times again when the Great Depression struck. 

“A lot of his mates said facing the Germans was nothing compared to financial ruin,” Mr Chalmers said. 

He enlisted again at the commencement of World War Two, leaving behind four children to man prisoner-of-war camps in regional Victoria. 

Mr Chalmers said his relative watched over Italian captives in places like Tatura and Myrtleford. 

The man also stood as the Liberal Party candidate for Dundas in the 1924 state election, but was defeated. 

“But he was philosophical about what happened in his life,” Mr Chalmers said of his forebear. 

Next to Impossible is available from Book Now in Bendigo, or at nexttoimpossible.com.au.