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Robert BurnsPrint Page Print this page

10-July-2004 (Kent Watson)
10-July-2004 (Kent Watson)

Photographs supplied by Kent Watson / Ballarat City Council

The statue commemorates Scottish poet, Robert Burns.  It was Australia`s first monument to a poet.

On a site where had grown a large willow tree known as "The Loafers Tree` about which the idlers of the City congregated, the Scottish citizens erected a statue of their poet, Robert Burns, at a cost of £1000. 

This money was not handed over to the City Council till 1897 because the donors had not chosen the quotations for the panels on the base of the pedestal. This monument was the first statue to a poet anywhere in Australia. It was unveiled in April 1887 by Thomas Stoddart before a crowd of 15,000.

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796) was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide.

Location

Address:Sturt & Lydiard Streets, Ballarat, 3350
State:VIC
Area:Foreign
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -37.561964
Long: 143.858061
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Sculpture
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Foreigners
Designer:Thomas Thompson (Ballarat, VIC)
Artist:John Undy (Carrara, Italy)

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Thursday 21st April, 1887
Front Inscription

Burns

Born near Ayr, Scotland, 25th January 1759.

Died at Dumfries 21st July 1796.

There was a lad was born in Kyle

Source: MA,RHSV
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au