The Big Murray Cod has been re-born. Photo: Chris Roe.
Builder Kyle North-Flanagan has resurrected the iconic ‘The Big Murray Cod’ sign, which will once against greet visitors on the eastern side of Wagga on the Sturt Highway.
“We got it up and install by Friday (31 October),” he said.
“It dragged out a bit, but better late than never. I’m glad we got it done. It’s already got people stopping on the road to take photos.”
Originally erected in 1975, the landmark welcomed people to the popular Murray Cod Hatcheries and Fauna Park, which closed 20 years later.
Since the closure, the sign fell into disrepair – the paint faded, the tin sides began to peel away and it was vandalised to such a degree in 2023 that the fish was no longer recognisable.
The Murray Cod Hatchery and Fauna Park used to be a big tourist attraction. Photo: Bob Douglas/Lost Wagga Wagga Facebook.
But when Mr North-Flanagan took over the property near the old hatchery, which included the driveway where the cod sits, he made it his mission to restore and reinvent it as a tourist attraction.
“Everyone had referred to it as the ‘Big Murray Cod’ so it can be our big thing, like the Big Banana,” he said.
Kyle North-Flanagan drove the project. Photo: Chris Roe.
The project was entirely community driven, with no support at all from government or Wagga Council.
“Grant Higginson from Ozfish helped organise a go fund me page that raised around $4000 which covered most of the cost the sticker wrap from Matt Inglis at Littlewood Signs. Wagga Steel Supplies donated us the composite aluminium and Wagga Marble and Granite cut all of it into the profile you can see now. The paint was donated by the Paint Place Wagga,” Mr North-Flanagan said.
“We tried to keep the same profile and shape but freshened it up with new colours.”
The initiative comes after winery owner Bill Calabria restored the Hanwood Big Wine Barrell in Griffith in 2023, putting the Riverina firmly on the big things tourist trail.
