The people of Dubbo have given Minokamo in Japan a bronze sculpture of kangaroos to mark the 30th anniversary of a special bond between the two cities.
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Dubbo Regional Council reports it engaged local artist Brett Garling, well-known for bronze sculptures, to create a suitable gift for its sister city.
"The investment was approximately $50,000 which helps reciprocate the work of Minokamo in the Dubbo Region," council acting CEO Natasha Comber told the Daily Liberal.
"Over the length of our friendship, Minokamo has been generous in funding the construction of our Shoyoen Japanese Gardens, as well as ongoing maintenance of the popular site."
The sculpture of a family of eastern grey kangaroos was unveiled at Minokamo's River Port Park on Saturday by Dubbo mayor Ben Shields and Minokamo mayor Seiichi Ito at a ceremony.
At the same time it was revealed Minokamo was naming a pathway through River Port Park 'Dubbo Road'.
Cr Shields said there was a deep respect and friendship between the two cities.
"Minokamo have been very generous to Dubbo throughout the sister city partnership, providing us with the Shoyoen Gardens and sending someone from Japan every year to tend to it," he said.
"We wanted to do something special for our friends and they had been very clear about how much they loved our kangaroos.
"We felt this sculpture would be a great gift and it was very well received by Mayor Ito and the people of Minokamo.
"A plaque was also gifted by Dubbo, featuring Japanese and English descriptions of the work and marking the 30th anniversary."
The two mayors also signed a new declaration, vowing to further strengthen the sister city relationship through the areas of education and youth exchange, tourism and health and wellbeing into the future.
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Minokamo and Dubbo formally became sister cities in 1989 and since then countless delegations, including school groups, have travelled between the cities.
The latest delegation, which also included Dubbo Regional Council CEO Michael McMahon and councillors Greg Mohr and Dayne Gumley, also took part in the annual Onsai Festival.
The Minokamo trip was self-funded by delegates, the council reports.
Dubbo Regional Council will return the hospitality when it hosts a delegation from Minokamo led by Mayor Ito on November 20-24.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
