Aussie cricket greats head to Dungog as town bestows special honour on the great Doug Walters

After decades of quiet urging, two years of planning, Dungog will unveil a statue of its favourite son. This is the story of how it came about and how the town plans to celebrate.

The story of the Doug Walters statue in Dungog. Picture: Supplied

In true local tradition, Bryn Walters retired for a 5.30pm beer after a hard day’s planting in Dungog this week … the difference being he planted his dad.

Or at least a statue of him.

After decades of quiet urging, two years of planning, fund-raising, tinkering and finessing, Dungog will on Saturday unveil a statue of the cricketer who made them famous – Doug Walters.

Clay models of the Doug Walters statue. Picture: Supplied

Doug Walters during his playing career. Picture: Supplied

The statue, built by renowned Melbourne sculptor Louis Laumen and anchored down on Thursday by Bryn and a few others, is in the main street of the NSW Hunter region dairy and timber town and 18 kilometres away from the dairy farm on which Doug spent part of his youth.

Doug told this masthead he had never lost contact with his home town and 40 of his mates have been travelling there for a weekend twice a year for 40 years.

“The statue is a fantastic honour – I honestly never expected it but I will take it,’’ Walters said.

“I remember playing junior cricket in the morning and against the men in the afternoon and that really helped me.

Louis Laumen works on clay models of the Doug Walters statue. Picture: Supplied

“My first game was in a little local park which had a flood channel in it and we used to have to regularly pick the ball out of the channel. Now it has a beautiful picket fence around it.’’

If you are thinking of making a late trip to Dungog and staying overnight on Saturday you might think again – the joint’s book out.

And the guest list of visitors contains some eye-catching names like Ian and Trevor Chappell, Rick McCosker, Geoff Dymock and Greg Matthews, former Test cricketers plus old drinking mate’s of Walters including jockey Malcolm Johnston and golfer Craig Parry.

Ian Chappell (L) and Doug Walters at Sydney airport in 1974. Picture: News Ltd, Cricket Historical

All will be present at a dinner for 200 after the unveiling which is certain to contain some lively tails among cricket’s bush legend, a one-time favourite player of Sir Donald Bradman, who, like Sam Konstas, played Test cricket at 19.

“We are hoping this status will inspire many young country kids that anything is possible,’’ Bryn said.

“We are very happy with the statue. We took Doug to Melbourne a couple of times … had had to trim of bit off him because unfortunately when Louis met Doug when he was in his late 70s not his early 20s.’

One of Doug’s old mates, Rolf Schufft, was a prime agitator for the statue and pleased with Bryn “several times a year for 20 years for it to happen.’’

Originally published as Aussie cricket greats head to Dungog as town bestows special honour on the great Doug Walters