22 December, 2017

Gundagai’s Unsung Heroes

The New South Wales town of Gundagai was on a collision course to be wiped off the map during a massive flood in 1852.

But the actions of  Wiradjuri men Yarri and Jacky Jacky saved 68 people, one third of the town’s population, from drowning in the Great Flood.

In 2017, Gundagai unveiled a bronze sculpture honouring the men and their extraordinary bravery and selflessness.

Gundagai residents, the Brungle Tumut Local Aboriginal Land council and wider local community attended the event, which involved a march down Gundagai’s main street before the official ceremony.

Chair of the Yarri and Jacky Jacky Sculpture Committee, Peter Smith, said Yarri and Jacky Jacky did everything they could to save lives, despite tensions between Europeans and Wiradjuri at the time.

“These men are Wiradjuri men and they didn’t worry about any sort of race or colour or anything when they were doing their bravery act,” he said.

“They just did what they thought was necessary to save the people and didn’t think twice about it.”

OurMob was there.