These breeds are the Clydesdale, Percheron, Shire, Suffolk Punch, (plus the later imported Belgians) and occasionally some light horse bloodlines, as seen in the part draughts.

[3] The roots of the Australian Draught Horse date back to the circa 1854 importation of stallions and mares of various English and Flemish cart breeds to Australia.

The development of the agricultural industry after the gold rushes required a ready supply of draught horses to provide faster load movements.

Weinholt Brothers formed a notable draught horse stud at Maryvale, Queensland, in 1885.

After 1918, tractors were rapidly replacing draught horses until the 1930s depression, when renewed interest in them was kindled.