Byron Bay’s ‘dildo’ shaped sculpture finally removed after slew of angry complaints from locals 

Byron Bay’s controversial phallic-shaped roundabout sculpture is removed after locals gave it a VERY racy nickname

  • Controversial Byron Bay sculpture dismantled, nine months after it was erected
  • The dildo shaped lighthouse installation cost the council $55,000 to erect
  • The structure, dubbed ‘Disco Dong’ was removed over safety concerns 

A sculpture shaped like a giant sex toy has been taken down in Byron Bay after a slew of complaints.

The Bayshore Drive Lighthouse was billed as an ‘optical illusion… both a journey and a destination’ when it was erected nine months ago.

But many locals and tourists have since compared the structure to an enormous dildo, nicknaming it the ‘Disco Dong’. 

The artwork, made up of 6000 aluminum birds, was removed on Thursday night to appease locals. 

Byron Bay’s controversial sculpture had divided the community since last Christmas

The structure, which cost ratepayers $55,000, was partially dismantled and removed following a backflip at a recent council meeting. 

‘A staff report to the Council meeting outlined several incidents of people climbing the sculpture, attaching stuffed toys and flags and taking photographs in the centre of the roundabout over recent months,’ Byron Shire Council states on its website.

‘The sculpture was not designed to be climbed and, because of the height and location of the artwork, there were real concerns about the potential for serious personal injury as well as the risk of compromising the structural integrity of the installation.’

The infamous 'Disco Dong' sculpture was dismantled by the local council on Thursday night

The infamous ‘Disco Dong’ sculpture was dismantled by the local council on Thursday night

The council’s decision to remove the sculpture was welcomed by many locals. 

‘Thank you! It’s lovely to see the landscape again driving to work. And I can finally see the oncoming traffic,’ one woman commented on Facebook.

Another added: ‘Council needs to be sacked. What a waste of time and money. Shame on you BSC.’

A Change.org petition claimed the sculpture was an inhouse decision made by council’s public art panel and erected in bureaucratic haste ‘without reasonable consultation with the community’.

The lighthouse sculpture cost ratepayers $55,000 to install and at least $11,000 to remove

The lighthouse sculpture cost ratepayers $55,000 to install and at least $11,000 to remove

Some locals were disappointed to see the sculpture go.

A ‘Hands off our dong!’ sign was erected on the sculpture by the ‘The Byron Disco Dong Appreciation Society’ earlier this week, the ABC reported.

The sculpture was taken to the council depot, where the birds will be detached and taken to the Myocum Resource Recovery Centre. 

The council estimated it cost between $11,000 and $13,000 to remove.

‘To recoup costs, Councillors resolved to sell undamaged birds for $20 per piece,’ council’s corporate and Community Services director Vanessa Adams said. 

Not everyone was happy about the council's decision to dismantle the installation

Not everyone was happy about the council’s decision to dismantle the installation

The sculpture had sparked anger from locals ever since it was installed last December.

‘A Christmas phallus for Byron and we’re the d***s who are paying for it!’ one wrote on a community Facebook page at the time. 

Another wrote: ‘Hahaha Byron council can’t even fix a pot hole but they spent $52,000 on a new giant dildo.’ 

The sculpture was taken down following reports of people climbing and attaching flags to it

The sculpture was taken down following reports of people climbing and attaching flags to it

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