Two life-size ‘baby’ Big Bogans will be installed at the visitor information bays at the eastern and western entries into Nyngan, the centre of the Bogan Shire. 

The life-sized statues were approved by the Bogan Shire Council at its December meeting. 

Councillor Kevin Ryan, who moved the motion, said that while the initial establishment of the Big Bogan was received with concern, he believed the icon had grown on the community.

When the six metre steel figure arrived in 2015 it received major publicity both locally and internationally. However not everyone was in favour of the landmark with some locals concerned they would be regarded as “a town full of bogans”.

“I think they have realised it is not such a terrible thing, and have softened their approach, so I don’t think it will be an issue again,” Cr Ryan said.

The council’s general manager Derek Francis added, “most people have come around to seeing the tongue-in-cheek thing we have in place for the sake of tourism”.

The original Big Bogan was proposed to the council by Reverend Graham McLeod of St Mark’s Anglican Church hoping to attract tourists to the town. 

Since its arrival in 2015 there has been a boom in tourism with an increase in sales in bogan T-Shirts, bogan stubby coolers and even bogan tea towels. 

Mr Francis said the primary reason for the new Baby Bogans was to direct tourists to the information bay in town, and to encourage motorists to get off the highway and make use of Nyngan and its facilities. 

No additional funding will be required as funds have been made available from the Information Bays Construction Budget for this project to go ahead.

In addition to the installation of the Baby Bogans the right hand wing of the sign structure is to be lengthened and angled towards the road to make the information more immediately visible to passing motorists.

The life-sized Baby Bogans are expected to be completed by March.