Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaking of horses, the spirit of our colonial past is alive and well in Jugiong in the south-west of my electorate. In a recent memorial day, the community paid tribute to Sergeant Edmund Parry of the Gundagai constabulary and to his relentless pursuit of justice. On 16 November 1864, Sergeant Parry was escorting the Gundagai to Yass mail coach when he was shot dead by bushranger John Gilbert at Black Springs near Jugiong. The event was a turning point in the battle to protect the safety of travellers on New South Wales country roads. It resulted in radical legislation to stamp out bushranging.

Johnny Gilbert himself was tracked down and shot by police a year later near Binalong. One hundred and fifty years ago, the Hall gang was infamous in much of the region, which is now the Hume electorate—from Yass, Collector and Binda, to Ben Hall's Cave in the Weddin ranges near Grenfell.

There was a gun battle between the bushrangers and Parry on that fateful day in 1864, and the recent commemoration for Sergeant Parry included an outstanding re-enactment of the battle. There was also a street parade and memorial ball, which I was delighted to attend.

Congratulations must go to Senior Constable Wes Leseberg of the Yass police, Leading Senior Constable Steve Magnone of the Jugiong police and Matt Butt of Jugiong, together with the entire memorial day committee, for bringing this important piece of local history to life for Jugiong and for all of us.