A MOYNE Shire councillor is pushing for a statue of a past Port Fairy Folk Festival stalwart to be installed in the town.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Councillor Jordan Lockett said he would next week "clarify" councillors' position on a proposal for a statue of folk singer Danny Spooner on the wharf at Port Fairy.
Mr Spooner died days before he was due to perform at the 2017 festival and was known for bringing shanty singing and "songs of the sea" to the festival.
"He performed songs about the ocean, the tradition of whaling and sealing," Cr Lockett said.
A Go Fund Me page launched this week sought to raise community funds for the statue, which the website said could cost up to $120,000, but organisers have since disabled donations until councillors discussed the idea at a briefing.
Cr Lockett said councillors had previously shown support for the idea and he had flagged a possibility with Mr Spooner's family of a council arts grant of up to $20,000.
"At the last two years' budget discussions we said in principle if they supported it, we would look at supporting it with some art funding," he said.
"I'm only one councillor and as a team we make decisions. Initially there was support for it."
He said he was an "admirer" of Mr Spooner and believed Port Fairy needed a festival tribute.
"It's important to acknowledge our history and celebrate the folkie, there is not really any permanent mementos to the festival."
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.