On 5th April, 1979, the Commonwealth Government, following discussions with the States and Territories, announced its intention to establish the Australian Bicentennial Authority to plan and co-ordinate a nationwide program of celebrations to commemorate the Bicentenary. It was established as a company on 21st January, 1980. The theme was "Living Together", and the whole year was to be a celebration, or birthday party. Each State and Territory had a Council whose role was to develop a State Program for 1988, and to encourage activities in each of their areas.(page 12)

There were 20 suggestions put forward in Uralla but, after much discussion, the statue was decided upon to be recommended to the government as Uralla's bicentary project and $70,000 was granted to build the statue.

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THE CONTROVERSY

The announcement of the grant funding for the statue project became an extremely controversial one. This controversy was mainly two-pronged, firstly from the people who had been behind and supported the library renovation proposal, which was the number one priority, and secondly from people who thought that the money could be better spent, or who complained that the statue would be glorifying a criminal.(page 32)

There were many newspaper articles, letters, editorials, and even television interviews. Much of the opposition was from people or organisations who had not submitted a proposal when they had the opportunity to do so, but were only too willing to criticise the one chosen. They obviously had no real idea of what kind of a project was required, as some even suggested that the $70,000 could be used for roadworks, or even a bridge.(page 36)

A letter from the Bundarra Road Users' Association, was reported on in the Armidale Express issue of 25th January, 1985, with the heading:

"Disgusted over Uralla statue",

The letter said they were astounded and disgusted that money had been allocated to “honour a horse thief”, when not one cent for road or bridgework for the classified road system in the shire had been granted.……

Thunderbolt, the letter stated, could hardly be considered an illustrious son of Uralla. Statues were usually reserved for people or events with a positive or beneficial contribution to the life of the community. (page 36)

An article in the Northern Magazine, week commencing 26th January, 1986 was titled Thunderbolt rides again! and begins Infamous bushranger Captain Thunderbolt will ride again in the form of a statue to cost a whopping $70,000. Shire Clerk, Lindsay Handley is quoted as saying the concept had won approval from the Premier's Department because it was considered “unique and appropriate to the area”. Mr Handley said the statue, when complete, would provide an invaluable tourist asset to Uralla Shire.(page 42)

It became an issue once again, however, in 1988, with its imminent finalisation, placing in position and unveiling, and strangely, by co-incidence, the publishing of a book written by Bob Cummins, entitled "Thunderbolt ". He wrote an article in the Sun-Herald newspaper on 31st January, 1988, which was critical of both Thunderbolt and the statue. He claimed that:

“the statue is a larger-than-life bronze casting showing the notorious bushranger on a stolen racer. He is apparently unarmed and is depicted in most heroic style. Today the N.S.W. Government, under the pretext of tourism, has funded the Thunderbolt statue - possibly the first in the world to a psychotic gunman.”(page 44)

Mr Cummins, Bob and Debbie O'Brien were all interviewed on A.B.C. television by Sharon Sullivan, where Mr Cummins was again extremely critical of the statue.

In her interview, Debbie said:-

There was a competition for everyone in Uralla to do something for the Bicentenary - see what we wanted for the Bicentenary. The Brownies got asked if they had any ideas, and I came up with the statue of Thunderbolt. He's sort of a piece of Uralla's history, and I suppose he's the most famous part of Uralla and I just thought it might be sort of good to have, and might draw people in here.?(page 45)

Her father was then interviewed, and said:-

We all know that he was a criminal and it was never the intention that we glorify Thunderbolt. It's the intention of recalling a legend of the Uralla district. When we were thinking of a design of what we needed we purposely said that we didn't want someone that looked like a hero - we wanted a villain.

In a letter written by Barbara Brady, published in the Sun Herald, she wrote:-

I was amused to read Bob Cummins' article on the Captain Thunderbolt statue row in Uralla. I have lived in the north-west for 26 years and here in Armidale for 10 months and the only times one hears about the hot-blooded row in Uralla about the Captain Thunderbolt statue is when Mr Cummins needs publicity for his book, "Thunderbolt".

It is clear that the erection of the statue is not to honour Frederick Ward but to mark the place for tourists and historians to see where Thunderbolt was killed and his criminal career was brought to a stop.(page 45)

The erection of a $70,000 statue to the bushranger has been slated by author-historian, Bob Cummins.

He says he is hostile to the idea of erecting a statue which represents Thunderbolt (Fred Ward) as “the King of Australia”.

“I regard it as dishonouring the people of Uralla”, he said.

Uralla Shire President, Scott Williams, has rejected Mr Cummins' claims that the people of the town have been angered by the statue. He claimed Mr Cummins was merely trying to promote his book.(page 46)

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CHOOSING A SCULPTOR

Dennis Adams - Sculptor.

That this Committee recommend to the Bicentenary Committee that it recommend to Council that Council commission Mr Dennis Adams and his wife to carry out the works and authorise the Shire Clerk and the Shire Engineer to finalise contractual arrangements so that contracts for the work can be exchanged at an early date and the works put in hand as soon as possible.(page 72)

Mr Adams visited Uralla on 17th December, 1986, and at the meeting held on 15th February, 1987 it was advised that the Committee had met with Dennis Adams, and that after examination of the small model presented by Mr Adams, that the following recommendation be made to Council:- 

That this Committee is pleased with the statue as a whole, and recommends that it be flat instead of raised, that the height of the mane be reduced, the bushiness of the tail be reduced and the head of the man be tilted forward. (page 74)

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THE UNVEILING

The statue of Thunderbolt on a horse arrived in Uralla at 10.50 p.m. on Wednesday, 24th August, 1988. It had been brought up by road transport through to Armidale, and then back to Uralla, where it was stored at the Uralla Shire Depot. It had been sent in four different pieces - the horse, "Thunderbolt", the mane and the tail. These pieces were too delicate to send already attached to the horse, because of their fine detail.

After it not having been finished for the original unveiling date, 27th February, it was resolved at the meeting held on 11th July, 1988 that the unveiling be held on Sunday, 4th September, 1988. This date was chosen to coincide with festivities planned in association with the visit of a steam train to the area.(page 78)

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EPILOGUE

It is now nineteen years since the statue of Thunderbolt on a horse was unveiled, and over those years numerous people have stopped to look at and photograph it. It has become the unofficial Uralla tourist symbol, reproductions of it appearing on souvenirs and various publications.