The Mt Weld Station Rescue

Station History & Rescue Overview

Mt Weld Station is located at Laverton, near Kalgoorlie WA. There were some horses bought in from Celia Station and Laverton Downs in the seventies that were all bred on those respective stations to join existing stock.

The station was founded in 1904 by JW Bateman of Kalgoolie, the big store owner. Horses were brought to the area for stock work and general draughting tasks. Bateman later sold the station to HD Green and Sons, the Harvey Butcher, who then sold in 1973 to John McPherson. John sold the station three years later - and sadly died 3 weeks after selling. He sold it to Lindsay and Shirley Polmear who then sold to Barrick Gold mining company.

Rob Forster spoke to Wayne Polmear, son of Lindsay and Shirley. Wayne, a station manager in NSW, who told Rob that he didn't know a great deal about the horses except that, quote; "they had been used as cavalry remounts and were sought after because they known as extremely strong and enduring stock."

He did say that his Dad had seen a story in the Battye Library on the horses from Mt Weld being used in the Military.

Anecdotal evidence suggests no new horses/modern bloodlines had been introduced in many decades, certainly not during the McPherson and Polmear eras.

Rob Forster Jnr, who works for Barrick Mines, started the ball rolling on the 2006 rescue and involved his father, Rob Forster, and Rod Wilson, a good friend and horse educator.

The heritage horses from Mt Weld had to be removed due to the traffic danger they were posing to mine and personnel traffic.

Barrick Gold chose to allow the horses to be removed humanely rather than simply employing shooters and the OHHAWA applaudes their proactive approach and support given throughout the rescue.

The horses appear to have old bloodline Thoroughbred, pony, Clydesdale, and possibly some Arab and Percheron in some of them. Mainly blacks, bays and browns. 14 – 15.2hh general height range.

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BELOW NOTES FROM ROB FORSTER DURING RESCUES TRIPS TO MT WELD

15/07/2006

There has been no reports of any pony types. The stallion for this group has a hoofprint that measures nearly 8 inches across.

This mob seem to group together a great deal - numbering 5, although up to 30 have been seen.

30/07/06

The project of our horse recovery is progressing slowly. My son has actually trapped 4 bachelor colts and one of the herd stallions in a 10 acre wire strand paddock that has been built to exclude them from a dam. They wandered in to get a drink before the 4th side was complete.

He said that two of them are magnificent and they and a small group of about 8 mares are better looking animals than the photos he has previously sent. He has been very impressed with one particular jet black bally faced filly that he says is the pick of all he has seen so far.

I sent 40 new stock panels to him last Thursday so he will attempt to yard the colts and the stallion and we will bring them down separately.

01/09/06

All is going well we have 9 in two days with the rest milling around.

I've attached a couple of shots. I reckon the black stallions thinking, "who needs any more enemies when your family and extended relations want to eat you!".

The head shot while not a great picture shows the stallions kind eye and potential placid attitude.

Sophie, who took the photos said that he came over to where she was and was basically sooking at the fence with her.

07/09/06

Arrived back in Perth Wednesday afternoon. I loaded the truck Wednesday morning with my mate Rod and it took a total of 1 hour 25 minutes for 12 horses.

The mine management was so impressed they want us to remove the horses from the other station they own. This project has developed a heartbeat of its own. That particular group of horses is coloured. From what I can gather is they have paint patterns/ white to chestnut or buckskin. This is still yet to be verified.

No injuries were sustained by anyone thank goodness. The horses while as usual pushy with each other are very quiet around humans and have shown no sign of kicking at the float sides or charging. One of the fillies had cut her leg on the water tank, it was bleeding quite a lot. I will sort this out when I can get her into the crush. 

There are still about 20 horses still to get from the present station.

The dominant stallion is at my place with a younger colt and the mares/fillies total 7. Rod has the other 5 stallions at his place. There are some very nice horses amongst them. The stallion I have here has made a real impression on my wife who believes he is a post card type potential.

09/11/06

I went up to Laverton this week to sort and draught off horses we have trapped. One very nice bay stallion with his mares and fillies that include one bay mare, has a 3 week old bay colt with a mealy muzzle, 4 black fillies and a bay filly.

My son has told me that last night a bay mare heavy in foal and her bay stallion have gone into the trap yard also.

I am driving up to Laverton with the truck next Wednesday to bring them all back.

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Over a number of months in 2006, several trips were made and around 20 horses rescued, all later sold on to good homes, including stallions.