North Sydney’s much-debated doughnut sculptures should be restored, says ex-mayor

Ex-North Sydney Mayor Ted Mack wants the council to restore the suburb’s brown doughnut sculptures to their former glory.

FORMER North Sydney Mayor Ted Mack wants the council to leave the suburb’s much-debated doughnut sculptures alone.

The water features were due to be moved out of their resting place in the North Sydney CBD to make way for a plaza renovation.

But the plans changed after an appeal by the late artist Robert Woodward’s family and the six brown fountains are now set to be moved within the space.

However, Mr Mack said it would be much cheaper to fully restore the designs for the square which he oversaw during the 1980s.

“I think they should restore the original scheme. That would be the least costly,” he said.

“To do a new scheme and move those things is going to be incredibly expensive.”

The six sculptures form the centrepiece of the street. Picture: David Swift

The doughnuts have been in North Sydney since the 1980s. Picture: David Swift

Earlier this year the council revealed plans to remove the fountains and install a giant egg on a pole in Brett Whiteley Place.

The egg sculpture would be a reproduction of a work by the late Whiteley.

This caught the family of artist Robert Woodward by surprise and his daughter Jane van Hagen successfully lobbied council to keep the doughnuts in the square.

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They will now be moved slightly west within the space.

“They really don’t need to do anything at all,” said Ms van Hagen.

“My view is if they leave them alone it would be much better.”

This egg sculpture could be laid in the busy pedestrian street. Picture: North Sydney Council

The council has proposed to move the doughnuts to create a larger events space and has agreed to fully restore them as part of the plans.

Woodward’s creations include the heritage-listed El Alamein Memorial Fountain in Kings Cross.

Mr Mack served as North Sydney independent mayor throughout the 1980s and was also an independent state and federal MP.

TELL US: ARE THE NORTH SYDNEY DOGHNUTS SYDNEY’S UGLIEST PIECE OF PUBLIC ART?