A plaque honouring an explorer has been covered up by North Sydney Council
North Sydney Council says it has boarded up a plaque for an explorer of the 1800s after left-wing threats to vandalise it.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Maligned Millennials to modern day COVID-19 heroes
- Hunt for ‘skinny’ shooter with ‘big gun’ after man shot dead
A decision to “board up’’ a memorial plaque to a 19th century explorer in North Sydney was made after left-wing activists threatened to vandalise it.
The plaque for explorer Ben Boyd, located at Neutral Bay, commemorates the Scotsman’s first landing in Sydney in 1842.
Boyd, a businessman, banker, grazier and whaler, is also known for his links to slavery, where he took over 100 men from Vanuatu and New Caledonia to work on plantations in Eden, NSW.
North Sydney Council boarded up his historic memorial late last week after receiving letters from activists calling for the plaques to be removed.
MORE NEWS
Woke dopes call for removal of ‘statue’ of bush legend Henry Lawson
Man carjacked in broad daylight visiting sick wife in hospital
17yo girl dies after driving head-on into a van
Mayor Jilly Gibson said the letters had forced the council to take action following activists “blunt” threats to take matters into their own hands.
Ms Gibson said the covering of the memorial was “temporary” but called the move “concerning”.
“We had some correspondence that was fairly blunt about the fact we should take them down immediately so on police advice we covered them up,” Ms Gibson said.
“I imagine it’s only for a few weeks, but it’s concerning we had to do this to protect them from vandalism.”
Boyd also has a national park and the village of Boydtown named after him.