May 22, 2014
A community meeting held at CROW-FM’s Wondai studios last night has decided to obtain costings for a life-size steel statue and a steel cut-out to immortalise the town’s beloved emu – known to many as “Charlotte” – who died earlier this month.
The meeting was attended by about a dozen people, including South Burnett councillor Ros Heit.
The radio station received hundreds of calls from the public following the announcement of the emu’s death.
Station manager Chris Corcoran said he had been “floored” by the outpouring of grief.
“We received hundreds of phone calls and posts on our Facebook page calling for some sort of memorial for Charlotte, and lots of people volunteering money to get one built,” he said.
“So we decided to call a public meeting to see if we can progress this idea.”
The meeting discussed a number of options including a suggestion by the Wondai Art Gallery that a cut-out of the emu be placed on the Gallery’s outside wall; creating a themed “emu walking track” in the Wondai Village Green area; building a life-size bronze statue; and erecting a life-size relief.
Concerns were raised about the need to make any memorial vandal-proof, and the costs that a life-size bronze statue might entail.
In the end, the group decided it would try to obtain quotes for a steel statue similar to Kilkivan’s well-known horse, which could be placed near the new town entrance signs on the Wondai roundabout; and a steel cut-out that could be placed at the emu’s final resting near the Wondai tennis courts.
The group also gave its support to the Wondai Regional Art Gallery’s idea but will leave it to the Gallery to organise.
Chris said he’d also had discussions with South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann about a memorial, and the Mayor said he would be supportive of anything the community wanted to do.
Cr Heit agreed to act as the channel between the memorial group and Council.
The group will meet again at CROW-FM’s studios at 6:00pm on Wednesday, June 11, to look at costings and plan future fund-raising efforts.
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