Blue HeelerPrint Page 
The sculpture commemorates the Australian Cattle Dog ( the Blue Heeler) which was bred at "Dartbrook", approximately 12 kilometres north of Muswellbrook.
Thomas Hall of "Dartbrook" saw the need for a special type of dog to assist in the management of stock, particularly cattle on the huge pastoral holdings throughout the Upper Hunter region, where stock roamed wild and free on the large, unfenced stations being mustered only once or twice a year. In the 1840`s Thomas Hall established the line of "Heelers" by crossing the native Dingo with the Northumberland Blue Merle Drover`s dog. The aim was to produce an ideal dog able to withstand heat, and long treks, to be quiet worker and effective in the roundup of wild bush cattle.
Location
| Address: | Bridge (New England Highway) & Hill Streets, Muswellbrook, 2333 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -32.268889 Long: 150.893333 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
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| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Animals |
| Artist: | Brett “Mon” Garling |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2001 |
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Blue Heeler Country
Erected in 2001 with the kind assistance of the Mount Arthur North Coal Project & Muswellbrook Businesses.
This statue has been erected in recognition of the contribution to Australian rural life by the Australian cattle dog and the development of our “Blue Heeler” in the Upper Hunter.
The “Blue Heeler” was bred by crossing the Australian dingo and the Northumberland Blue Merle, producing an ideal working dog. The result was a dog capable of coping with the extreme conditions of the Australian Bush and the ability to control the wildest of cattle on the vast properties throughout the Colonies.
Our community salutes Thomas Simpson Hall who was instrumental in the development of the original “Blue Heelers” on the 1840’s, at his family’s property, “Dartbrook” near Aberdeen.
