THE feedback Alex Scott and Staff have received after their historic mural went up in the Wonthaggi Workmen’s Club carpark, featuring coal mining pit ponies, has been universally enthusiastic, even emotional.
Dan Huther, the manager of Alex Scott’s office in Wonthaggi, said he believed it was an indication of the pride that second and third generation residents, in particular, were feeling about the town’s mining history.
“It’s pretty incredible what the miners did in Wonthaggi, to get coal off to Melbourne for the railways within two weeks of setting up here, living in a tent town in 1909," Mr Huther said.
“That’s how the town started, and a lot of younger people are interested in our coal mining heritage now.”
In fact, with the strike in the Newcastle Coal Mines of November 1909, Victoria’s steam train network would have been brought to its knees if Wonthaggi’s miners hadn’t answered the call.
“We had a local resident come in the other day to congratulate us on the mural, saying a neighbour of her’s had someone injured in a mine explosion.
“She particularly loved the pit ponies,” he said.
“The guys at Cargills Sports got it going with their miner’s picnic theme and steam train, and there have been a few others. This has been a natural progression.
“Locals are taking more interest in the town’s mining history, and it gives new arrivals in the town and visitors an idea about where we came from.”
As a note of their own pride in the Wonthaggi story, Alex Scott and Staff have marked their firm’s connection with the mines, as a supplier of pit ponies, in the mural, which includes the figure of old Alex Scott, the founder of the firm and long-standing managing director, his nephew Bruce Gibson, who died a few years ago.
That’s Bruce Gibson on the left, a remarkably good likeness, and Alex Scott himself, standing next to the horse. It’s company folklore that Mr Scott bought some of the ponies on behalf of the mines himself.
And the ponies are the obvious feature of the extensive mural, lovingly rendered by two of the state’s best muralists, Brigitte Dawson and Melissa Turner of Melbourne's Murals, clearly with a special gift for capturing the character and beauty of horses.
“Everyone is just delighted with the finished product and we do intend to have a bit of a launch for it, over at the Workmen’s Club,” said Mr Huther.
“We’ve also had a time-lapse video made, watching the progress of the painting over a month which should make interesting viewing.
“There’s a number of features in the painting that people will recognise and once the shire has finished the street crossing, I think it will really help boost that part of the main street.”
Mr Huther paid tribute to all those involved in the project and thanked the Bass Coast Shire Council for its cooperation.
