Captain Cook is getting a sharp new restyling for his 250th anniversary.
Sutherland Shire Council has decided to redefine Cook’s image on its logo for the digital age.
The improved image of Captain Cook will be a cornerstone in the council’s communications strategy to mark the 250th anniversary of the landing of the Endeavour at Kurnell which falls on April 29, 2020.
The new sharper styling of Captain Cook will present better on a digital screen.
“The updated council logo has a sharper styling of Cook, overcoming the problems of the logo presenting poorly on a digital screen and losing identity when displayed in small size,” a council report said.
The image of Captain Cook has featured prominently on the council logo since 1906 when it was known as “The Council of the Sutherland Shire”.
Since then the logo has changed five times to keep step with the council’s name and identity including in 1993 when it became The Council of Sutherland Shire and in 2002 when it became Sutherland Shire Council.
On each occasion the logo was slightly updated with and the image of Captain Cook improved.
In 2008 the size and prominence of Captain Cook was reduced in favour of the council’s name and a new teal colour scheme was introduced.
The updated logo restores Cook’s prominence and the circular shape, making it more legible, especially when used beside other organisation’s logos.
“As Council moves more of its business to a digital platform it is increasingly important to ensure all graphics, including its logo, are legible and meet accessibility requirements,” the council report said.
“The refined logo better distinguishes Cook’s image and appears cleaner on a digital screen. Furthermore it enables Council to modernise its visual identity and remain relevant across Council’s communication channels.”
The teal colour of the current logo is unique to the council and not easy for third parties to reproduce well or present well against a natural backdrop.
While the colour won’t change significantly from the existing teal, it will have a ‘warmer’ mid-blue colour be incorporated in the new style.
The cost to restyle the council logo is approximately $11,000 which would be sourced from the council’s existing communications budget.
In August, 2001, some Sutherland Shire councillors considered removing the face of Captain Cook from all council logos and replacing him with a dolphin.
When the suggested logo change was leaked to the public it was dropped in the face of community protests.
Outrage went as high as the Australian Parliament when the suggestion of replacing Captain Cook with “dancing dolphins” was described by the then Member for Cook, Bruce Baird as ‘appalling.’
“There are few councils that have the proud history that we in the Sutherland Shire have,” Mr Bard said at the time.
“The association with Captain Cook is something that every boy and girl who grows up in the shire is rightly proud of. It is an association that I believe should go long into the future.”
