This statue is holding the remains of a Eureka Flag (since the 1853 miners' uprising at Eureka the "go to" flag for protests in Australia - 1st PiP). Forgotten by many, the second largest uprising in Australia was, of all places, set in the little town of Barcaldine in 1891, when the shearers formed a union and refused to take pay cuts imposed by the large pastoralists. There were opposing marches through towns by shearers and the Queensland militia, some wool sheds were burned, and finally the pastoralist-led Queensland government had the strike leaders arrested (see PiPs) while scab labourers were imported from southern states. You can read more about it here, but maybe faster to listen to this song which tells the story.

Wishing everyone a Happy Fence Friday and a good weekend.