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Busts of 2 Former Leaders Beheaded, Stolen From Prime Ministers Avenue

Ballarat Police are investigating after receiving reports that 20 statues were damaged.
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Busts of 2 Former Leaders Beheaded, Stolen From Prime Ministers Avenue
(L-R) Former Australian Prime Ministers Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, and Paul Keating and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews attend the Labor Party campaign launch for the 2019 Federal election at the Brisbane Convention Centre in Brisbane, Australia, on May 5, 2019. AAP Image/Lukas Coch
Monica O’Shea
Monica O’Shea
1/23/2025|Updated: 1/23/2025
0:00

The statue heads of two former Australian Prime Ministers, Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd, have been stolen from the Ballarat Botanical Gardens in Victoria, days out from Australia Day.

The heads of the Labor leaders were decapitated and removed, while multiple other statues were damaged on Prime Ministers Avenue, a cherished community landmark with a collection of bronze busts representing every Australian prime minister.

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Monica O’Shea
Monica O’Shea
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Monica O’Shea is a reporter based in Australia. She previously worked as a reporter for Motley Fool Australia, Daily Mail Australia, and Fairfax Regional Media. She can be reached at monica.o'[email protected]
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