Towong Shire residents will be asked for their thoughts on a lasting memorial to honour the only horse to return from World War I.
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Sandy was donated to the war effort by Francis ‘Bonner’ O’Donnell, of Old Tallangatta, and made an incredible return home.
Upper Murray Horseman’s Association (UMHA) president Michael Palmer met with Towong Shire Council in September, 2017 to discuss the feasibility of erecting a life-size cut-out at Tallangatta’s War Memorial.
Mr Palmer said the CEO and councillors had been “very supportive” of the project and the next step was to secure funding and embark on a period of community consultation.
And he is optimistic about obtaining the $150,000 needed for a life-size bronze mold that could be mounted on a wall structure.
He said the Tallangatta Historical Society had made a small donation and the Masonic Club was already exploring ways to support the project.
The location of the memorial is still to be determined but Mr Palmer said it could be appropriate to include a list of World War I names on the structure’s stonework.
“There are no WWI names on the current Anzac Memorial – they are listed separately in the hall,” he said.
“I’ve suggested it may be symbolic to have those names in the name place as the Sandy monument.”
Mr Palmer said the council had indicated it would include the project in its 2018-19 budgeting and planning.
At the time he said there was an opportunity for Tallangatta to capitalise on its unique connection to the nation’s Anzac history.