The BIG Gold Panner - a photo on Flickriver

Kelso, near Bathurst NSW.

Ever-expectant, yet ever-disappointed the Big Gold Panner Man, complete with pick, gold pan and sluice box, kneels over his claim outside the Gold Panner Motor Inn on the eastern approach to Bathurst. The area around Bathurst is steeped in gold-mining history and is close to Hill End and Sofala, some of the first places wheer payable gold was found in Australia in 1851.

The 5-meter high Big Gold Panner Man, built in 1979, was the idea of Bruce Bolam, who had just purchased a motel set back quite a way from the road. Bruce wanted something to attract passing motorists, so he came up with the idea of a gold panner. Bruce commissioned sculptor Hugh Anderson, who built the structure at his home in Maroochydore and brought it to Bathurst in pieces on t he back of a trailer. Hugh welded the pieces together on the site and coated the whole structure with ferroconcrete, adding a miner's pick for extra strenth. A pond was built to give the impression that our man was actually panning for gold and a sluice box was put in place in 1993. Because he'd invested all his money in the motel, Bolam leased the Gold Panner Man from a finance company and paid it off over 4 years. (one wonders, how it might have been repossessed!?)

Illuminated at night, 'The Man', as he is affectionaetly known around town, goes through several changes of outfit during the year. He is repainted in the colors of one of the race teams for the annual Bathurst 1000 at Mt Panorama in October and also wears a red nose on Red Nose Day. Many parents with children at the nearby Scot's School stay at the motel, so he is often dressed up in a kilt with the school colours. He's even been rumoured to have had many a conversation with truckies as they drive by, so next time you pass by don't forget to give him a wave and say, "G'day".

The Big Gold Panner Man is located at the Gold Panner Motor Inn, Great Western Highway, Bathurst.
Info source:
www.flickr.com/groups/13166246@N00/discuss/166126/

Taken in: Australia / New South Wales / Kelso (show map)

Taken on: July 14, 2019

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Camera: Olympus E-M1X, f/5.0, 15 sec, 12mm (=24mm), ISO 64 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Olympus E-M1X
Lens:	OLYMPUS M.12-40mm F2.8
Aperture:	f/5.0
Exposure Time:	15
Focal Length:	12mm (35mm equivalent: 24mm)
ISO:	64
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	On, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Contrast:	Low
Saturation:	Low
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 9.2.1 (Windows)
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