THE LIONS Club of Bathurst is set to take a financial hit after one of its flags were allegedly stolen.
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For nearly three decades, the six flag poles alongside Evans Bridge have showcased Bathurst's proud promotion of a multicultural Australia.
While the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags are permanent fixtures in the display, the other three flag poles are changed monthly to reflect the national celebratory day of various countries.
For the past month, the Lions Club had been flying the German, Chinese and Fijian flag, but a week ago one of them was allegedly stolen.
Lions Club member Dominic Chircop was informed that the German flag had gone missing from its pole around the weekend of October 21-22.
These flags aren't necessarily cheap.
Some cost over $500 and those costs are covered by community donations.
Mr Chircop said it was disappointing to see the flag taken.
"Whoever took it didn't do any damage," he said.
"They unscrewed the screws, lowered the flags with the ropes and left them there."
Mr Chircop called in a few members to help put the screws back in place, while he put the ropes back up and left the pole bare.
To replace the flag, he said it'll set the club back $520.
He filed a claim with the insurance company, but said the club's excess will go up by $250 if the insurance company pays out.
"We'll do our best because at best, it's only going to cost us $250 but that money we raised was to help people in the town," he said.
"It's pretty sad that this has happened."
The Lions Club will fly three different flags throughout November, replacing China, Fiji and the now empty pole with the flags of Great Britain, Tonga and Lebanon.
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