The mastermind behind Nyngan’s Big Bogan said the impending arrival of the Baby Bogans is a “good, fun next step”.
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Reverend Graham McLeod proposed the Big Bogan to the Bogan Shire Council back in 2015 and, while controversial at first, the icon has since been embraced by the community.
Due to be completed by March, two life-sized 'baby' Bogans will be installed at the visitor information bays at the eastern and western entries into Nyngan.
Reverend McLeod said that adding two more life-sized Bogans would have positive effects for the town.
"I think that they [Baby Bogans] will enhance people's interest in the Big Bogan itself," Reverend McLeod said.
When asked if the installation of the Baby Bogans would detract from the Big Bogan, Reverend McLeod believed they would encourage road users to look at the information bays and direct them to the town and the Big Bogan.
"With these little Bogans there's another way of directing people towards the Big Bogan," he said.
When the Big Bogan was first proposed back in 2015, Reverend McLeod said that he never expected the icon to have such an impact, or gain such notoriety.
He emphasised its importance among the struggle of small towns and the growing number of empty shops.
"Little towns, we struggle to survive and you've got to have something, a gimmick or whatever it is, we've got to try and do things that are positive for our town to help them to survive and perhaps even grow."
While the arrival of the Big Bogan had mixed receptions, the Big Bogan and now Baby Bogans celebrated “the quirkiness of being an Australian”, Reverend McLeod said.
When the council approved the idea back in 2015, Reverend McLeod said that it was the "right thing at the right time". He hoped the installation of the Baby Bogans would do the same.
Reverend McLeod, who spends a lot of time at St Mark's Angligan Op Shop located directly across from the Big Bogan, is amazed at the number of people who stop.
"We have people young and old, different sorts of lifestyles stopping and getting photographs of the Big Bogan. It's a must."
He mentioned that he has even heard of people making a special trip to Nyngan to get a photo with the Big Bogan.
"It's not just a stopping point but people are making it a destination point,” he said.
"I think people get a thrill out of it, and a laugh and that's what we're on about, helping people to enjoy themselves and have a pleasant memory of passing through Nyngan."