04/07/2005 - Australian
Government funding will help expand the Australian
Cricket Captains Walk in Cootamundra - birthplace
of Sir Donald Bradman, the Minister for the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell
said today.
The Australian Government has awarded a $50,000
grant to the Cootamundra Shire Council under
the Sharing Australia's Stories program for
the project in Jubilee Park.
"The Australian Cricket Captains Walk
recognises the heritage of one our nation's
most popular sports," Senator Campbell
said.
"The walk currently features 14 bronze
sculptures of past captains Richard Benaud,
William Lawry, Ian Chappell, Gregory Chappell,
Allan Border and Mark Taylor as well as Sir
Donald.
"The walk also has a bronze sculpture
of Unaarrimin, the leading Aboriginal player
in the first Australian cricket team tour
of England in 1868.
"Australian Government funding will
help complete more statues of cricket captains,
representing different eras of Australia's
cricketing heritage. The Cootamundra Shire
Council aims to complete the Walk by featuring
all past 42 Australian Test captains.
"Cootamundra has strong connections
with two Australian test captains - it is
the birthplace of Sir Donald Bradman and a
former home of Bill Murdoch."
Senator Campbell said the Walk complements
Cootamundra's other cricket heritage places,
including Sir Donald Bradman's birthplace,
soon to be featured in the new Bradman Heritage
Trail.
The Australian Government is also providing
$50,000 to develop the trail that will incorporate
key places that promote the life, story and
achievements of one of Australia's greatest
sportsmen.
"The Bradman Heritage Trail is being
developed by the Bradman Foundation in partnership
with the Cootamundra Shire Council and the
State Library of South Australia. It will
eventually connect all those places in Australia,
and possibly overseas, that are central to
the Bradman story.
"This virtual and physical heritage
trail will help visitors explore places such
as Bradman's birthplace at Cootamundra, the
Bradman Museum at Bowral, and the State Library
of South Australia where the Bradman Collection
is housed.
"The Heritage Trail will showcase Cootamundra
as an important part of the Bradman legacy,"
Senator Campbell said.
