Statue of Australian Poet Vandalized

According to this article on Adelaidenow, a statue of C.J. Dennis, "one of Australia's greatest poets" has been vandalized.

Police said more than $10,000 damage was caused to the frame of the steel and copper structure at Laura on December 29. The statue is of Dennis holding a pipe and reading a book of his verse.

Northern Areas Council has removed the $25,000 statue for repairs.

Known for his bestseller The Sentimental Bloke, Dennis, who was born in Auburn in 1876, outsold both Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson during his lifetime.

Darren Pech, member of the Laura Community Development and Tourism Association, said the statue had been in Laura's main street for less than 12 months, after it was gifted to the community by former resident Dick Biles on his death. "The community is very disappointed that something that was donated to the town has been vandalised," he said.