Murrumburrah: Light Horse, silo art and local history

Murrumburrah brings together striking memorial sites and traces of its economic and local history. The Light Horse Memorial tells the story of the origins of the First Australian Light Horse, while the silo art and a historic museum offer further perspectives on the Twin Towns. There is also a park on Murrimboola Creek and a café serving cuisine with a regional touch. You can plan your stay around whether you are most interested in military history, local culture or quieter breaks in town.

Memorial sites connected with the Light Horse

The Light Horse Memorial commemorates the founding of the First Australian Light Horse in Murrumburrah in 1897. Its displays bring together different episodes and people, including a diorama of Beersheba and bronze sculptures of Corporal William Bradford, the retreat at Romani with a horse, and Bill the Bastard with five men. The works are by Murrumburrah sculptor Carl Valerius. A life-size bronze sculpture of Major-General James Alexander Kenneth Mackay was unveiled there on 31 August 2019.

A particular focus is the Bill the Bastard War Horse Memorial. The life-size bronze sculpture by Carl Valerius stands on a concrete plinth in the Harden-Murrumburrah Light Horse Memorial Precinct in Mill Park. It commemorates the famous First World War horse: during the Battle of Romani in 1916, it carried its rider, Major Michael Shanahan, and four Tasmanian soldiers out of no-man’s-land. A short commemorative ceremony is held at the memorial on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day. Those interested in the history of the Australian Light Horse will find a range of distinct subjects and forms of commemoration here.

Silo art and local history

Murrumburrah Mill Silo Art, by Mongolian-Australian street artist Heesco, transforms the former Murrumburrah flour mill into a highly visible monument to the grain industry that shaped the Twin Towns. The original flour mill on the site was completed in 1865. The silo art is opposite the Harden-Murrumburrah Visitor Information Centre. The history of milling and industry is thus presented alongside a later artistic depiction of this heritage.

The Harden-Murrumburrah Historical Society Museum adds to this perspective with exhibitions on local history. Topics range from railways, pharmacy and blacksmithing to agriculture, gold mining, a schoolroom and the Australian Light Horse. The exhibitions span both floors of a two-storey brick building dating from 1912. When choosing the focus of your trip, this offers a different kind of discovery from the large-scale silo art: several aspects of local life and the past are presented side by side.

A break at Coddington Park

Coddington Park is on Burley Griffin Way, with Murrimboola Creek running alongside it. Facilities include playgrounds, barbecue areas and public toilets. The park also offers a view of the Harden-Murrumburrah Silo Art. The shopping area on Albury Street is just a few minutes’ walk away. The park therefore brings together several options for a break: spending time outdoors, looking at the silo art and being close to the shopping area. Which of these matters most to you can help shape your day in town.

Food, art and architecture

Barnes Store in Murrumburrah is a distinctive 1860s building that now serves as a café. Barnes Store Emporium and Café offers a seasonal menu of fresh dishes made with local produce. The venue also regularly hosts visual arts workshops, exhibitions and intimate musical performances. This combination of café and culture adds another facet of local life to the historic memorial sites.

The Hilltops Architecture Trail also passes through Harden Murrumburrah. If you are interested in architecture as well as the Light Horse memorials, you can include the trail as another thematic option when planning your trip. The different focuses—military history, the grain industry, local history, art and architecture—provide a good basis for deciding which experiences you want to make central to your stay.

Other places to consider as destinations in their own right: Krambach, Isabella, Mount Colah, Kincumber, Mandurama, Gerroa, Tuncurry and Carrathool.

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.