The already iconic Bill the Bastard statue located on the corner of Albury and Bathurst Street in Murrumburrah was officially unveiled last Friday with a small ceremony, albeit being originally erected on December 22 last year.
The life-sized statue depicting five soldiers on the back of Bill the Bastard – Australia’s greatest war-horse –received the unflattering nickname when arriving in Egypt because no one could mount or ride him, until he eventually came to an understanding with his rider.
The war-horse became a hero during the Battle of Romani in 1916 when Bill and handler Major Michael Shanahan galloped towards advancing Turkish soldiers to save four Tasmanian troopers.
The ceremony which began at 1pm was attended by approximately 100 local residents, as well as a number of dignitaries, including Federal Member for the Riverina Michael McCormack, Hilltops Mayor Marg Roles, Bill the Bastard Committee Treasurer Chris Manchester and sculptor Carl Valerius.
Special guests present at the ceremony also included Brigadier Glen Ryan from Victoria Barracks in Sydney, as well as three lighthorsemen present.
The Times spoke to Manchester directly after the official unveiling of Bill the Bastard.
“Now seven months on, the official unveiling has been held up for a whole number of reasons. Covid was the biggest contributor as to why it’s taken so long. Then it was about finding a day that suited all politicians. We did try to do it earlier in the year, but the floods postponed it back then too,” Manchester said.
“Unfortunately, Steph Cooke who was meant to be here today couldn’t make it.”
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke wasn’t in attendance at the official unveiling due to her Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience role and work on the current NSW floods.
“It’s been a long process, we were trying to organise a bit more of a whole community event, but we are still planning to do that around the middle of next year which will entail a whole weekend of festivities,” Manchester continued.
“I am proud of being on the Bill the Bastard committee. When I was first invited onto the then committee it included Dr. Rhys Gray and Michelle Kennett, I thought let’s see what we can do. I wasn’t even sure we could pull it all together back then but then we were very successful in getting the grant from the state government.
“Then we started getting other funds coming in and the confidence came to get it finished. We didn’t have any money to spare at the end, it was very tight, but we got it here and got it on site.” Since being installed seven months ago, Manchester has noticed that the Bill the Bastard site has become a focal point of Murrumburrah.
“Every few days I get emails from people asking when can we see it, what can we do. Well, it’s on site 24/7 and people can look at it whenever they’re driving through town. Even this morning four people from Canberra came through and were watching me put the veil across the top of Bill and gave me a hand to do it.
“That’s the sort of thing that you see on a daily basis. That was something I did not foresee at the time, but it’s certainly come to fruition.”
Chris and Carl are both looking forward for more developments in Harden-Murrumburrah, not ruling out any future sculptures or monuments to be installed in town.
Carl said, “At the moment, we’ve accomplished getting Bill there. I was also involved in the developing of the Light Horse Memorial across the road. Bill now links together with it. This was the ideal site, it was too big to go in the original memorial, but it’s fitting as Major Mackay across the road is looking directly at Bill.
“It’s not an easy process to go out and raise $700,000, at the beginning that was going to be our biggest hurdle. So, we’ll have to wait and see.”
Carl Valerius who started on the Bill the Bastard project in 2016, is pleased to see the bronzed sculpture finally on site after six long years or blood, sweat and tears.
“It’s an incredible effort. It’s not the effort of one person, it’s the effort of many people. Many people that can believe in an outcome, that is achievable. A town of 2000 people that can pull off a statue worth nearly $700,000, is impressive. In the initial stages, that’s almost impossible,” Valerius said.
“The compliments that I’ve had from the military and from our local members have been fantastic. I always try to sculpt in a classical style which means a lot of details.
“Crawford said to me that it’s the most complex statue that they have ever cast, and they’ve been casting for over 50 years, that’s a fantastic compliment.”
The statue was bronzed by Matt Crawford of Crawford’s Casting in Enfield in Sydney.
“My granddaughter Amy, who is a horse judge, drew that horse on a sheet of paper with a crayon and said, ‘there you are pop, that’s what you need to make’,” Valerius continued.
“Putting in the accessibility ramp with the old bricks in besides the steps was one of the more pleasing aspects for me. We cannot discriminate, it’s an insult to mum’s, people in walkers, anybody that has difficulty with stairs shouldn’t be excluded.
“We’ve had bus full of people coming down to see the horse. And we’re not done yet, the next feature we add to the horse will be mind-blowing, I can’t say what is it just yet, but it’s going to be the crowning jewel.”
Carl’s next project is of a soldier for Walgett Shire, which will made from marble from Italy.
“I’m going to be keeping busy. I’ve got one for the Australian Museum and a life-sized Marino to do for the Yass council.”
Tim Warren
