Big penguin may have poisoned thousands

Asbestos experts today took a core sample from the 3m tall statue to determine if it poses a health risk.

A former cement plant worker, who says he helped build the attraction, told the Central Coast Council two weeks ago about his fears that the icon may contain deadly asbestos fibres.

Many hundreds of thousands of tourists are believed to have stood beside the giant sea bird since it was erected in 1975 to mark the centenary of the town.

Mayor Mike Downie today said the statue ranked highly among Australia's "big-thing'' attractions.

"It came third or fourth in Australia a few years back in a list of Australia's big icons - so it's well and truly known,'' he said.

Mr Downie said he was taking the potential health threat seriously, despite the fact that the statue's undisturbed concrete core is encased in painted fibreglass.

"We got professional people in to take a look at it today and I think we'll get the tests back next week,'' he said.

"Our staff who looked at it last week thought it was in very good condition.

"They couldn't see any big cracks in it for any asbestos fibres to be coming out or anything.''

He said that if the penguin had to go, the council would likely erect a new drawcard.

"I would think we would be lynched from the nearest tree if council decided, that if it was a danger to the public, not to replace it,'' he said.

"We just hope it comes back that it's no danger to the public.''