text: Maate, it's the biggest bogan in Straya! This is the image of the Big Bogan statue that the Bogan Shire Council is aiming to erect in the town of Nyngan to honour the Aussie icon - and hopefully draw in the crowds. The man behind it all is Graeme Burke who is the manager of engineering services for the council and this is his design for the statue. This is how Graeme Burke envisages the 'Big Bogan' statue will look like . Pass us a smoke mate: The term 'bogan' has a number of negative connotations for Australians but has become a character part of popular folklore, being depicted here by actor Eric Bana . Mr Burke said the 3.6-metre statue would show a 'bloke' wearing shorts, thongs and a singlet with a fishing rod and a tuckerbox. Locals and visitors would also be able to sit on it and take photographs. 'Graham McCleod of the Anglican Church suggestion to me some time ago that Nyngan would benefit froma “Big Bogan” sculpture as a tourist attraction so I have been considering various designs for its construction,' Mr Burke told Daily Mail Australia. 'Although I do not like the way a 'bogan' is depicted and I do not want Nyngan to be thought of as being a town full of “bogans”, it is a term that is widely used and well known in Australia and New Zealand. 'Where better in Australia could we have “The Big Bogan” than on the banks of the Bogan River, in Bogan Shire?' Bogan Shire Council, in western New South Wales, wants to erect a 'big bogan' statue . The 'big bogan' statue could prove as popular as the Big Banana which is a tourist attraction in Coffs Harbour . Mr Burke's proposal is for a 3.6m tall steel figure cut out of 5mm steel plate. The figure is wearing a singlet, has a handlebar moustache and is holding a fishing rod. The esky in the original drawing would be constructed as a three dimensional steel box fixed to the sculpture to allow tourists to sit on to have their photo taken. 'I would like the sculpture to be related to Nyngan on the Bogan River, I have used the fishing theme and I would like to see it located on the eastern side of the Peter Sinclair Bridge opposite the Tritton Mine Village,' Mr Bourke said. 'In this location it would be on the highway, at the river, and visible from both directions.' The traditional bogan image has include a 'mullett' style haircut, singlet and thongs, and beer . Could the 'big bogan' rival this?  Nicknamed 'Rambo', The Big Merino is a 15.2 metres tall concrete merino ram, located in Goulburn, New South Wales . The Big Prawn in Ballina has become famous in the region . He estimated the construction and installation of the 'Big Bogan' would be a total cost of $8,000. The 'big bogan' statue could prove as popular as the Big Banana which is a tourist attraction in Coffs Harbour, the The Big Merino in Goulburn, the Big Prawn in Ballina and Sunshine Coast's Big Pineapple. However, Bogan Shire Council said the venture would not go ahead until the community gave it the thumbs up. ABC News reports that local residents have expressed mixed feelings about it already. In the Sunshine Coast, the Big Pineapple is a major feature . One said it was a great idea - but it could be improved. 'One thing that's missing is the stubby,' he said. Another resident was less enthusiastic. 'I do not identify as a bogan - if you look up bogan, it's very negative,' she said.
target: Bogan Shire Council in NSW is planning a statue to honour its namesake .
  It would depict a 'bloke' in shorts and singlet carrying a rod and tuckerbox .
  Mayor Ray Donald said the statue could have tourism benefits .
  Would join the trend for 'big' things in country towns .
  Existing icons include the big Merino, the big banana and the big pineapple .