Trail relaunch salutes anniversary marker

Runnymede Road in Brunswick will be lined with more than 100 horses on August 3 to celebrate the reopening of the 10th Light Horse Bridle Trail.

The trail was opened in 1989 by then South West Minister David Smith to honour the memory of the 10th Light Horse Regiment.

Over the years the trail name has been lost in history and most of the signs have either disappeared or become damaged.

Thanks to a Lotterywest grant which the 10th Light Horse Bunbury Troop applied for in November last year, the trails committee has installed new posts.

Bunbury Troop vice-president Harry Ball said the trail was an important way to reflect on the horsemen who were not able to bring their horses home.

“It was an era when a horse meant life or death to you,” Mr Ball said. “Most of the troops named their horses after their wives or girlfriends, they had a special bond with them.”

Mr Ball said August 3 was chosen because it was the 100th anniversary of the 10th Light Horse Regiment returning to Australia.

“It’s important we keep the history of Australia alive for people to see, because if we as residents aren’t interested in our country, visitors won’t be.”

Bunbury has the biggest 10th Light Horse Troop in WA with 30 members.