www.monumentaustralia.org.au
Tribute to the Hercules Mine HorsePrint Page 
20-October-2016
Photographs supplied by Peter Williams
The sculpture was erected as a tribute to the Hercules Mine Horse. The horses were used for underground trucking at the Hercules Mine and had an average life span of 12 years. The horses were retired in 1964 and replaced by 3 tonne Mancha battery locomotives.
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Location
| Address: | Murchison Highway , Rosebery, 7470 |
|---|---|
| State: | TAS |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -41.789824 Long: 145.530267 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Animals |
Dedication
Front Inscription
Plaque:
A Tribute to the Hercules Mine Horse
When operations commenced at the Hercules Mine at Williamsford, horses were used for underground trucking. The horses hauled the empty side-tip-trucks into the mine and were capable of pulling a rake of 10 trucks, weighing about two and half tons in all, for distances up to one and a quarter mile.
The average working life of a horse was about 12 years although some worked for as long as 15 years. Records tell us that some of the horses were named, Nugget, Prince, Duke and Robin and have been described as intelligent, needing little direction after their initial training and worked the same hours as the men. Lunch treats would sometomes consist of carrots and bread supplied by the men.
The horses were stabled on the sloping mountainside near the mine and had a permanent attendant. Every Easter and Christmas they were given a spell at Williamsford for about three weeks. During these spells they were known to "play up" and were often seen jumping, rolling and galloping on the glassy flats so different from their sloping paddocks on Mount Read.
The horses at the Hercules Mine were retired in 1964 and replaced by 3 tonne Mancha battery locomotives.
The Hercules Mine ceased production at the end of May 1986.
Proudly provided by MMG Rosebery Mine
Source: MAPlaque:
A Tribute to the Hercules Mine Horse
When operations commenced at the Hercules Mine at Williamsford, horses were used for underground trucking. The horses hauled the empty side-tip-trucks into the mine and were capable of pulling a rake of 10 trucks, weighing about two and half tons in all, for distances up to one and a quarter mile.
The average working life of a horse was about 12 years although some worked for as long as 15 years. Records tell us that some of the horses were named, Nugget, Prince, Duke and Robin and have been described as intelligent, needing little direction after their initial training and worked the same hours as the men. Lunch treats would sometomes consist of carrots and bread supplied by the men.
The horses were stabled on the sloping mountainside near the mine and had a permanent attendant. Every Easter and Christmas they were given a spell at Williamsford for about three weeks. During these spells they were known to "play up" and were often seen jumping, rolling and galloping on the glassy flats so different from their sloping paddocks on Mount Read.
The horses at the Hercules Mine were retired in 1964 and replaced by 3 tonne Mancha battery locomotives.
The Hercules Mine ceased production at the end of May 1986.
Proudly provided by MMG Rosebery Mine
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au
