Roy Higgins is among two local legends to be immortalised in the next stage of the Koondrook Barham Redgum Statue.
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Satutues of the famed jockey - who grew up in Koondrook but started his career in Deniliquin - and of Sidney Reid were unveiled on Sunday.
They are now among 20 statues featured which capture the twin towns’ history, ecology and pioneering spirit.
The project was spear headed by Koondrook Development Committee (KDC) with support of the Gannawarra Shire, Arbuthnot Sawmills and the Barham Koondrook Historical Society.
“Today Sid Reid and Roy Higgins’ memories are being immortalised in Koondrook’s Redgum statue walk” said KDC chair Tom Chick as he addressed the crowd.
“This walk is a very unique feature of our towns, and highlights the versatility and magnificence of sustainable red gum timber.
“We like to consider ourselves the jewel in the crown of Gannawarra.”
The Roy Higgins statue stands at the corner of Main and Thompson St, Koondrook, where Mr Chick and Greg McNeil explained his importance to the region to Sunday’s crowd.
Born in Koondrook on June 5, 1938, Roy was among the many children delivered by Nurse Rosen, who has her own red gum statue on the walk.
“Roy Henry Higgins, was known affectionately as ‘The Professor’,” Mr McNeil said.
“In 1953, at the age of 15, he became an apprentice jockey to Deniliquin local Jim Watters.
“Roy rode a total 2312 winners during his career. He won the Melbourne cup twice - Light Fingers in 1955 and Red Handed in 1967.
“It does distinctly come to mind that he probably should have won a third Melbourne Cup with a nail biting finish of Hyperno over Salamander in the 1979 Melbourne Cup.”
Roy’s long and illustrious racing history also includes winning the Caufield Cup, two Cox Plates, five VRC Oaks, four Victorian Derbys, a Blue Diamond Stakes, six AGC Oaks, two Sydney Cups and two Golden Slippers.
Roy won 11 jockey premierships in his time and rode internationally in France, South Africa, Hong Kong and Belgium.
He was awarded Queen's Birthday Honours in 1974, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to horse racing and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1987.
Roy’s last race ride was at Flemington in October 1983, after which he continued in the racing industry as a commentator on TV and radio.
He would also lecture in the jockey training program at the Northern Lodge Training Centre of the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE.
Roy’s daughter Nicole Lund gave the crowd a glimpse of growing up with Roy as a father.
“They always wanted to know what dad did away from racing, and that was to spend time with us kids and horses,” she said.
“Dad taught me how to ride from the age of two. My first pair of boots look like they could hang from your rear vision mirror.”
Nicole told stories of memorable moments like being on a photo shoot riding with her father when her runaway Shetland pony landed her on the back cover of the Herald Sun after colliding with a sign. The headline read ‘Higgins Takes a Fall’.
“We can't thank you enough for doing things like this for us and our family and the community, we thank you so much,” Nicole said.
At Sid Reid Park Koondrook, Arbuthnot Sawmills executive chairman Paul Madden welcomed Sidney Reid’s grandson John Eberbach, his wife Denise and their family including three generations of Sidney’s descendants.
Born in Grafton NSW in 1889, Sidney came to Koondrook in 1918 to manage the sawmill after the death of sawmill founder Alex ‘Sandy’ Arbuthnot.
He assisted Sandy’s son Alexander James Cook Arbuthnot until ill health forced Alexander’s early retirement.
Sid worked for Arbuthnot for 44 years, becoming a shareholder and manager in 1921 and then going on to manage the mill until his death in 1962.
“As well as managing the sawmill, Sid oversaw the construction of the Alexander Arbuthnot from a working barge to a paddle steamer and commissioned the boat in 1923 for its role as a new logging steamer to tow outrigger barges laden with logs into the slips at the sawmill,” Mr Madden said.
“The AA, as it is known, turns 100 next year and is a testament to the skills of yesteryear that a boat made of red gum can endure all the Murray River and years of hauling logs can throw at it.
“Today it carries tourists as it continues to ply the waters of the Murray River and made its return to Koondrook at the opening of the Koondrook wharf 70 years after it finished its role at the sawmill.
“Sid would be a proud man to know this part of his legacy continues.”
As well as overseeing the mill Sid ran other businesses including a dairy farm in Gannawarra, he was also the first person to grow tobacco on the sandhills of Gannawarra, and proved that sultanas could be grown locally and founded the IXL Stores in Koondrook.
Sid was also instrumental in establishing the Barham-Koondrook Soldiers Memorial Hospital, raising funds for its build and continuing support as the first president of the hospital committee and the first chairman of its board.
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