Larry the Lobster could move from Kingston in SA to Western Australia

THE fate of the Kingston’s Larry the Lobster has been put on ice as the local council claws for more time to decide if it will buy the giant icon and keep it from being sold interstate.

Larry the Lobster during his renovation last year.

• 2015: Larry the big Kingston lobster may be torn down
• 2017: Larry given a $50k makeover
• 2017: Larry is up for sale
• 2018: Paul Kelly speaks about his iconic “Big Things” structures

THE fate of the Kingston’s Larry the Lobster has been put on ice as the local council claws for more time to decide if it will buy the giant icon and keep it from being sold interstate.

Kingston District Council called a special meeting on Friday to discuss the proposed purchase of Larry after its owner gave councillors until Monday to make an offer.

If the council does not purchase the 17m-tall crayfish, it may be sold to an interested party in Western Australia.

However, Kingston Mayor Reg Lyon said the deadline did not give the council enough time to investigate the viability of buying Larry so councillors instead carried a motion to ask for an extension to the September 3 deadline.

Larry the giant lobster in Kingston.

“It’s really in the hands of the people who own Larry and what they want to do,” he said.

Mr Lyon acknowledged Larry was an “important icon” for the town. “I know it’s emotive issue in the community,” he said.

“It’s part of what we are and who we are, and I guess we would like to have it remain here but that’s not in our hands at the moment.”

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Larry the Lobster was built 40 years ago in the era of rural Australia’s “big things” but has failed to draw the tourism trade hoped for after a renovation last year.

Calls to Larry’s owner of 11 years, Casey Sharpe, have not yet been returned.

Larry and a restaurant business remain on the market after failing to sell at auction a year ago. After the auction, which attracted no bids, the business went on sale for $349,000 plus GST.

Larry, on the Princes Highway 300km south of Adelaide, underwent structural repairs and a new paint job as part of a $50,000 makeover last year ahead of the sale. The council has previously invested in new signage and lighting to enhance his tourism appeal.

Originally published as Larry the Lobster could move from Kingston in SA to Western Australia