PHOTO: Matt Boney has started his newest project – bringing back Coonamble’s Big Boomerang.
By LIAM MULHALL
COONAMBLE’S Big Boomerang is on its way back!
The ten-metre long and three-metre tall boomerang had been sitting in Coonamble Shire Council’s storage yard rusting away when local resident, Matt Boney came across it in late July 2023.
“I saw it there and thought it would be such a waste to let it just sit there and not do something with it,” said Mr Boney.
“Something like that needs to be shown off.”
Initial plans for the Boomerang were for it to be placed at the community gardens recently developed by the Coonamble Aboriginal Lands Council.
However, the most recent plan for “Australia’s biggest Boomerang” will be to put it in a prominent position in town, in either Smith or MacDonald Park.
“I would like to get some of the local children involved to do some art or put some handprints on there, to build that sense of ownership over it,” said Mr Boney.
Coonamble Shire Council Mayor, Tim Horan, says such a project could bring a further boost to the Coonamble tourism industry.
“It’s another thing for people to visit, and it can be an attraction,” said Cr Horan.
“I think it’s a great project, and council’s happy to help out wherever we can.”
Ideas have also been floated about the possibility of creating a cultural trail with the Boomerang as the centre piece.
“We could have the Big Boomerang and then we could also have lots of little boomerangs around town for people to follow around,” said Cr Horan.
A storied history
While it currently lies dormant in the council yard, many may remember the previous lives of the Big Boomerang.
In it’s first instance, the Boomerang was mounted atop the now burnt down Herrmans building on the corner of Castlereagh and Aberford Streets.
The ten metre long boomerang was constructed for the owner of a restaraunt called ‘The Boab’, an American by the name of Royer who had married Anne Sheldon, daughter of the local pharmacist.
The date the boomerang was installed is still being investigated (likely the late 1960s or early 1970s).
The restauarant had closed by 1974 and was donated to the Coonamble Historical Society in 1975 by the Mooy Family who owned the Herrman’s building.
The Historical Society had opened the Museum in the former Police Station building beside the river in 1970 and the Boomerang was mounted at the Aberford Street entrance of the site.
“Welcome to Coonamble” was painted on the front of the Boomerang, and atop it sat an emu and a kangaroo.
A plaque beneath the boomerang commemorating the work of Cr Bill Greene, who was also long serving member of the Historical Society, was unveiled by former Australian Senator, Neville Bonner whilst vising Coonamble in 1981.
The Boomerang would sit outside the museum for a further decade before it was finally removed from its mount at the museum.
Correspondence between the Coonamble Historical Society and Coonamble Shire Council in September 1991 state that “the committee (Coonamble Historical Society) feels that the sign is not in keeping with the design and historical image of the museum buildings.”
“In addition, the sign is far too large and restricts the publics view and its current state of disrepair further detracts from the appearance of the museum.”
In 1991, the Big Boomerang was replaced by a smaller sign out the front of the museum and it was held in storage by council.
No trace of the emu or kangaroo remains today.
It’s revival has been suggested several times over the years but it seems that this latest interest could finally yield results.