Bill the Bastard- Australia’s Greatest Warhorse

View the amazing sculpture of Australia’s best-known war-horse, “Bill the Bastard”, on your next visit to Harden-Murrumburrah.

The life-size sculpture by Carl Valerius commemorates an epic feat when Bill and his rider, Major Michael Shanahan, saved four Tasmanian soldiers from no man’s land at the Battle of Romani during World War I.

Bill, a fierce and powerful 730 kg chestnut stallion, was one of 130,000 Australian horses that served in World War 1 and were never to return home. It is a remarkable tale that touches on many features of Australian history.

The sculpture recently completed and previously viewed in the artist’s studio at Harden-Murrumburrah, is now positioned on a plinth in parkland at the corner of Bathurst Street and the Burley Griffin Way. The positioning of Bill in this outdoor setting is the culmination of a long-held dream by the local sculptor and the many people who have supported this exciting project.