BIG BIRD ROUGHED UP ON MAGNETIC ISLAND

North  Queensland’s  largest   sculptured   birdbath , above ,   was  tipped over   in   another  rowdy  night  on  Magnetic  Island .  Known   as   Big  Bird ,  the   gleaming  white     figure,  made   from  concrete ,   has   survived   four  cyclones  and   been   photographed   many   times  by   tourists . On   Saturday  night  it  was  pushed over  by  a   group  who  left   a  trail of " carnage "   along   the   main  drag   to  the  ferry  terminal.  At the Sooning  Street  shopping  centre   chairs  were  overturned , pot plants  upended  and  signs  damaged . Two  cars were  broken into  and  pushed   about .

 On  Monday,  the  owner  of   Big  Bird, a  longtime island resident ,  told  Magnetic Island police  she  had been intimidated  by  a  group  who  gathered  outside her  residence  , drinking , who had  tipped  over  the  large  , heavy   figure .  

Police  said  they  had  a  record of  a  registered  party   attended  by   60 people  and  two  officers  were   sent later in the  day   to   right   Big Bird . It was suggested somebody  may have  sat in  Big Bird's bowl and  it tipped forward . If so , it  is lucky  the  beak  did  not  cause  injury.

 During  the   night  a   large  real  estate  sign  on  a  nearby   block of   bush  known  locally  as “ the Pope’s  Land” , owned by  the  Catholic  church  in  Townsville , was  knocked   down .  A   short distance  from   the   sign ,  was   a   battered    car  with  a  Victorian  numberplate ,  driver’s   side  door  open,   a  messy interior , a   broken hubcap  in  the   grass . It was  taken away by police on Tuesday , supposedly for  fingerprinting.   Big Bird ,it seems, did not  rate  a  fingerprint  examination.   

 Noises are  often heard at  night  on  the island , at  times due to   birds   and   animals and also marauding   boofheads.     Residents  in   one     street  recently  called  police  after  hearing  a  woman  screaming ,  what   sounded  like  furniture  being   broken  up  and  a   strong  smell  of   smoke , something   definitely  burning ,    during   a   period  of   total   fire   bans .  In  southern  states,   anybody    lighting   a   fire  during  a  fire  ban  would  be   overrun  by   the   cavalry . Not   on  the  island ,  which  is  very  dry,  where   another   place   has   twice    staged  night- time open  burns  .   The   Army   once   had   to   be called   in  to  help  save   Magnetic  Island , part  of  the Great  Barrier  Reef   Marine  Park , much of  it  a  national park ,  when  it  was   ravaged  by   fires.   MUCH BIGGER BIRDBATH  : As  this  item  is posted , a  large part  of  the road  near  Big   Bird   is  being excavated    due to a  burst  waterpipe  and   supply has been turned off to  nearby  houses.