They are as much a part of the Shoalhaven as Berry's famous tag of the Town of Trees, Nowra's iconic iron bridge over the Shoalhaven River and Hyams Beach's whitest sand in the world.
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They are the TurfCo cows at Jaspers Brush and they have almost a cult-like following.
Scott Parker is the man behind the creations.
The turf harvest manager has been with Turfco since it's very first day in 1988.
"I paint cows, drive trucks and tractors," he laughs.
So popular are the creations on the side of the Princes Highway at Jaspers Brush they even have their own Facebook page complete with 2400 followers and even an Instagram page.
According to Turfco managing director Gavin Rogers, the story goes something like this -
We just try to mix it up a bit now and have a bit of fun with them. They have grown into a world of their own.
- Turfco Cows designer Scott Parker
"They came about originally in the early 2000s - we were down in Tasmania at our [Lawn Solutions Australia] annual conference," he said.
"We bring around 250 of our members together each year. We were visiting a winery and it had this purple cow out the front. More people on the bus commented on the purple cow rather than the beautiful winery - we thought 'wow there's a good idea'."
And the cows were born.
"Scott's a resident artist of sorts and certainly puts lots of effort into it. The majority of it in his own time on weekends or at night after work," Mr Rogers said.
"It's incredible how popular they have become."
They even receive fan mail and often Christmas cards.
"It's just crazy - everyone knows them," Mr Rogers said.
"Joe [son Joe Rogers] and I went to Scott Morrison dinner once before he was Prime Minister and he asked where we were from and we told him and even he said 'that's the place with the cows'."
As well as doing the usual important dates like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter Christmas, State of Origin and Melbourne Cup, the company used to take requests from the community to highlight and promote other events.
"We had to stop it," Joe said "they just proved too popular.
"We had so many requests, we were booked out about 12 months in advance."
Scott says he now tries to have a different design each month.
"We just try and turn everyone's eyes," he said.
"They've just got bigger and bigger.
"Of course we do the usual important dates but try to do different things each year and we also work on other themes."
Just recently a tribute to the emergency services with the simple words "Thank You" after the horrific South Coast bushfires proved very popular.
He even helped spread the 1.5 mere COVID social distancing message.
As for a favorite, Scott says "the Pokemon design proved very popular".
"That was pretty good, it turned everyone's heads," he said.
Honestly, I didn't believe at the start they would be as popular as they have proven to be. It's been amazing.
- Turfco Cows designer Scott Parker
"I kinda of go on the likes - one Easter was pretty big, when their heads were sticking through eggs and one Bathurst 1000 where we had three cars, cut holes in the roofs and had cows sticking out was also a hit.
"Everyone thought I was mad trying to get three cars ready - but we put on a display.
"Melbourne Cup is always popular, as is the Origin ones.
"They get lots of shares, even some of the NRL players share the posts. TV host Erin Molan is a fan and has shared a few as well."
He admits he now also often likes to come up with designs that are topical.
Don't be surprised if you might see the cows possibly in scrubs and wearing masks as a way to say thank you to the many frontline workers like doctors and nurses during the current COVID-19 Pandemic.
"Perhaps a stretcher could also be involved just to say thanks to the heroes of the coronavirus emergency," he said.
"We just try to mix it up a bit now and have a bit of fun with them."
Depending on the designs, the work on the cows can range from hours, through to the Bathurst display which included painting three cars in team colours taking weeks.
He laughs about the time he was "busted by police" moving the cows via forklift under the Princes Highway into their position in the paddock.
"It was about 10pm and we're crossing the creek and all of a sudden a spotlight hits me with one of the cows," he said.
'Who's that?' came the request.
"I told them who I was and it was all okay," he laughed.
"Apparently people were worried someone was knocking off the cows.
"And that did happen in the early days, we lost a couple of calves, but then we started filling them with concrete and that stopped it.
"Honestly, I didn't believe at the start they would be as popular as they have proven to be. It's been amazing.
"They are going well - they have grown into a world of their own."
The company now has a number of sets of the cows (a cow, bull and calf), so the next display can be prepared while the current exhibit is on show.
"We've got one that has been with us since the start," Scott said "I just paint over the design with another colour.
"A piece of that one fell off the other day and there was about 15 millimetres of paint on it - I suppose it's been painted more than 150 times.
"I just enjoy the whole process - I'm a butcher by trade, so I know how to kill em, cut em up and now paint em."
So popular have the cows become there is even talk of a calendar of the various designs being produced.
"My mum has got a photo album and a photo of every one we have done," Scott said.
"She's always on to me as soon as I put new cows out to get her a photo."
So what's next?
"Spring is also just around the corner!"
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Robert Crawford
Robert Crawford is a senior journalist at the South Coast Register, for Australian Community Media . Everyone's got a story, what's yours? Email robert.crawford@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Robert Crawford is a senior journalist at the South Coast Register, for Australian Community Media . Everyone's got a story, what's yours? Email robert.crawford@austcommunitymedia.com.au
