Decapitated statue’s owner on mission to find its head

The owner of a ram statue near Portland that chainsaw-wielding thieves targeted in the dead of night is still on a mission to find its head.

The popular Portland statue has been beheaded. Picture: Facebook

An angry farmer whose popular roadside statue was the target of chainsaw-wielding thieves last month is still searching for his ram’s head.

The 15-year-old statue had been one of the must-see attractions on a road trip through the southwest and is located about 12kms from Portland, between Tyrendarra and Narrawong.

On February 13, owner Peter Bryant went down his driveway only to see his prized ram was missing a head.

The owners of the statue are devastated about the vandalism. Picture: Facebook

Upon closer inspection he saw it had been a clean cut, with the act likely undertaken with a chainsaw and the head transported away in a car or ute.

“It would have had to been two blokes because it was a clean cut, the head was fairly big and someone would have had to hold it,” Mr Bryant said at the time.

“My wife and I live about 1000 metres away from the statue so we wouldn’t have heard the chainsaw going.”

Mr Bryant didn’t know what the thieves’ motives were for taking a piece of the “very popular” statue that often stops passersby in their tracks.

“You know what people are like these days — it’s the world we live in,” he said.

“They must’ve thought it was a joke or something.”

In the weeks since the act admirers have rallied around him during his search for the head.

The ram statue before its head was sawn off. Picture: Supplied

“It’s just a shocking act,” Mr Bryant said.

“Everyone knows and word has gotten around and I just hope we find the head, that’s all,” he said.

“It’s been Australian-wide — people have rang from as far as Cairns and Darwin — it’s been unbelievable.”

Mr Bryant said police had been very helpful.

“Because the statue is so locally known they just want to catch the culprits,” he said.

A photo taken of the wooden statue weeks after its head was sawed off and has not yet been found. Picture: Jack Colantuono

While almost a month has passed, Mr Bryant hasn’t lost hope of finding the head.

“I’m still chasing the head — and it’s been a huge response. I’m averaging four people a day asking me if I’ve got the head back yet,” he said.

Gossip had led him to believe the head had been dumped in a nearby river, giving him a fresh lead.

“I’ve got a boat organised for a weekend and we’re just going to go and have a look to see if we can find it,” he said.