Pelican Pete

On the days that I take a walk by the river I pass by Pete at his spot outside the Pelican Boat Hire.I knew nothing much about him not even his name.I used to call him Percy.But apparently his name is Pete and he is a bit of an icon around the Noosaville area,where he has had somewhat of a' riches to rags to riches'life.
 While reading this mornings paper I found out that he was vandalised a couple of weeks ago and now his big happy face has drooped and he looks like he is permanetly asleep!!!
He first came to 'life'around 1977 in the workshop of the then Noosa Council where he was built as a float for the Festival of the Waters parade.The pelican was the emblem of Noosa Shire at the time.
Pete could rotate his head,open and close his bill,flap his wings,blink his eyelashes and wiggle his tail, all operated by two people located inside the body.It must have been damned hot in there during a parade!
In his heyday according to the Noosa News he participated in many parades and has had beauty queens,celebrities,sports stars and politicians riding high on his back.

During the 80's after numerous relocations, poor Pete deteriorated and was even pushed off a pontoon and capsized into the river.
In the 90's he was resurrected by the owners of the Palican Boat Hire.He was repaired and relocated to a spot next to the boat  hire shop.
In 2007 he had an 'extreme makeover' The council gave him his permanent spot on the foreshore where they built a fence and garden around him.I dont like the fence,I would love to see kids climbing all over him but those sorts of things are not allowed these days it seems,and the fence didn't keep out the vandals!Anyway Pete's in a bad way at the moment and it looks like he will need another "face lift".But I'm sure after all he's been through over the years he will bounce back again.