PLANS to build The Big Bogan statue as a tourist attraction for Nyngan are going ahead, but not everyone is thrilled about it.
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Nyngan Historical Society co-ordinator Keith White says he would much rather see the town pay tribute to its railway heritage than see a statue of "a very unsavoury type of person" built.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's a derogatory term," he said.
"Nyngan was laid out as a railway town, and the railway should be an attraction more so than The Big Bogan."
Mr White wrote to council suggesting it build a statue of country music pioneer Tex Morton as well as, or instead of, The Big Bogan.
While the late singer did not necessarily have a link to Nyngan, Mr White said, if the town was looking for a tourist attraction, it could do worse than build a statue of Morton in conjunction with resurrecting its Silver Kangaroo Festival.
"If you look back at the history of country music, before the Tamworth festival got going, there was a Silver Kangaroo Festival in Nyngan but it ran out of steam some years ago," he said.
"Had our council have pursued it as vigorously as Tamworth council did theirs, we'd have something to hang our hat on."
Council has decided to erect The Big Bogan at a parking area near the Nyngan CBD called Teamsters Rest so passing travellers will see it and possibly be encouraged to stop in Pangee Street to visit existing businesses and places of interest.
The Big Bogan proposal made news around the world after drawings prepared by council's manager of engineering services Graeme Bourke based on an idea by Nyngan's Reverend Graham McLeod were submitted to Bogan Shire Council.
Original plans to build a 3.6 metre statue had since been expanded to provide for the construction of a 6 metre statue.
Council considered public submissions before budgeting for the project.
At the time, Bogan Shire mayor Ray Donald said while not everybody favoured The Big Bogan being in Nyngan, he did not believe the town's reputation or that of its residents would suffer.
"We certainly feel there will be considerable tourism and small business patronage benefit for the town, coupled with a historic Aboriginal connection to promote the project," he said.
Bogan Shire councillors and senior staff took a field trip to inspect the proposed site at Teamsters Rest as part of this week's council meeting.