The heads of two statues have been removed, and nearly two dozen others have been vandalised ahead of Australia Day celebrations in a Victorian city.
Police believe about 20 statues were damaged in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens on Wendouree Parade yesterday between 2am and 5am.
It is understood the heads of former Labor prime ministers Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd were stolen.
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The name plates of the remaining statues were covered in spray paint, police said.
The City of Ballarat took to social media to condemn the attack.
"The Prime Ministers Avenue was vandalised with several statues extensively damaged," the city said.
"This type of senseless damage is completely unacceptable. It is not only extremely costly to our ratepayers and will divert money away from critical Council services, but it detracts from Ballarat as a city."
The vandalism occurred on the same night as another attack, with a prominent statue of Captain Cook being defaced in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
It comes nearly a year after vandals hacked off a Captain Cook statue in St Kilda.
Police are keen to speak to anyone who saw suspicious behaviour in the area.
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