Last week Goulburn Mulwaree Council knocked back the opportunity to purchase the sculpture, an item Kiama Municipal Council representatives had expressed interest in at the recent sale of Flugelman works at Burradoo.

The stainless steel sculpture stands 2.5 metres high and is two metres wide. 

It represents ‘‘water and waves’’.

Kiama’s cultural board advised that though the art work ‘‘was not of the more contemporary and innovative design that the board would like to see commissioned for Kiama as part of a progressive public artwork program’’, it was acknowledged that Bert Flugelman’s work was important to the Illawarra region, to Kiama and to Australia as a leading Australian sculptor of his time.

Dr Flugelman, who died in 2013, already has a strong presence throughout the Illawarra thanks to a long academic and artistic career in the region.

He worked at the University of Wollongong from the 1980s, and made the Mount Keira steel structure commemorating early experiments with flight in the Illawarra. 

Other Flugelman art works on display in Wollongong include the stainless steel Spiral and Wave outside Wollongong City Gallery as well as Gateway to Mount Keira.

He lived for many years on Jamberoo Mountain.

At an extraordinary meeting on Monday morning, Kiama councillors voted 6-1 to approve the purchase of the sculpture, although where the funds come from and a proposed location are still to be decided. 

Due to the sale of the Flugelman property at Burradoo, the sculpture needed to be collected by March 25.

Possible locations include the main street of Jamberoo, Werri Beach Reserve, the Minnamurra Headland, Storm Bay and the rock shelves around Kiama’s rock pools.

Cr Neil Reilly said sometimes communities were defined by their cultural activities and Kiama was lacking in sculptures.

‘‘I think a sculpture like this has significance for our town,’’ Cr Reilly said.