Mrs McGrath returns as an enduring legend

It was a hive of activity in front of the Lands Office and Council offices on Monday morning when the two-metre tall sculpture of Mrs McGrath arrived, together with her pet sheep - one wearing a hat, the other a saddle so children can sit on it and the third reading a book. Pictured preparing for installation early Monday morning were Director of Infrastructure and Planning, Jack Terblanche, Council’s Parks and Gardens staff Robert Anderson, Nathan Witherby, Gavin Ridgewell, Noah Wilson and Mike Koroi. With them is the artist, John Wood. Image: Margie McClelland.

One hundred years ago, Mrs McGrath made a name for herself as bridge operator when she led large mobs of sheep across Hay bridge with ease.

This week, that memory of Mrs McGrath became a permanent fixture when she was immortalised in the form of a larger-than-life sculpture in Lachlan Street, together with her pet sheep.

During the 1920s and 30s, Mrs McGrath regularly charged drovers a small fee for her, and her pet sheep’s service to lead their mobs of Merinos across the bridge.

When the large mobs of sheep came through Hay, drovers had difficulty getting them over the bridge, so Mrs McGrath used a pet sheep to lead the mob onto the bridge, from where they happily followed her into Lachlan Street.

Council commissioned artist blacksmith, John Wood to create the public sculpture which now forms part of the Your High Street Grant Program.